In Good And Bad Times
by Verdandy
Summary: After Voldemort's fall Death Eaters maintain rebellions. A truce is needed to end the war between the Light Side and the Dark, that is why Draco and Harry are forced to marry each other. After Deathly Hallows, EWE, later M rating
1. Chapter 1

_**In good and bad times**_

**-PART ONE: BAD TIMES-**

"_What?_"

"You heard me." Her eyes telling him she wasn't going to repeat herself.

"You...you can't be serious, mother!"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, did I ever lie to you?" Narcissa Malfoy didn't even bat an eye as her son collapsed to the ground, crying out his denial at the world's betrayal on him.

"No. NO! NEVER! HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME? YOUR ONLY SON!"

"Believe me when I say I only do this for my one and only son, Draco. For you. I have your best interest at heart. It's the best solution and you will thank me later for it, I'm sure." She sounded as if she was still trying to convince herself that her choice for her son was the right one. However, it was a great effort not to cry with him at that moment.

"I'm _not_! _I'm not going to marry Harry Potter!_"

Seeing the tears rolling down Draco's cheeks, who didn't cry in front of her since he was six, Narcissa got weak too and knelt in front of her son, a sigh escaping her bitten lips, a sign she was as stressed. She lifted his face and looked into the two pools of grey, so much like her husbands and so lifeless at such a young age. It hurt to see him suffer, she couldn't stand it anymore and she once more was convinced she chose the right path for her son, so he could live, and maybe one day, a joyous life.

"Draco, I'm going to die."

The boy looked shocked at his mother and shook his face from left to right, lifting a hand to feel his mother's face, as if she would be gone any second now, worry making his body tremble. "No...no...what's wrong with you?"

Narcissa felt guilty seeing that frown on his face and embraced him. "Nothing. But I'm going to die. One day I'm gone and you will be alone, Draco."

"_No!_" Draco screamed, his voice breaking and new tears flooding his eyes. "You _can't _leave me! You're all I have...mother..." the last word coming out as a whisper. He was getting weaker by every passing second, too many shocking things consuming the boy's last energy. So he hang onto his mother like on dear life, his only haven.

The mother hushed her child and hugged him tightly back. "Shh...I'm not going to leave you so easily, my son. You're all I have since Lucius was taken to...Azkaban, we only have each other for support, so we have to stay strong. We're Malfoys, my son, never forget that." Her son shook his head against her chest in agreement. "My brave son, this war is not over yet. The remaining Death Eaters are still revolting and leading rebellions against the Light Side. Since their power gain after the fall of the Dark Lord they are exploiting it too much and treating us less than humans. They do whatever they want with us, some are too blind to see that they're behaving worse than some Death Eaters and slaughtering us like Werewolves.

"Draco, you and I, we are targets on both sides now. We are safe nowhere and I can't stand hiding anymore. I'm going to die one of these days and then I can't guard you anymore."

"No!" her son whimpered the same word for the past five minutes but the mother hushed him again.

"You are the leader of the Dark Side right now, my son." Draco looked up at her and she nodded at his astounded face. "After the Dark Lord's Fall the title was alienated to his right hand, Lucius but since he's..." she paused for a second, hurt recognizable in her voice about the loss of her husband to that rotten prison, "since your father can't work up to that title anymore, it has been conferred on to you, the next male in line."

Draco remembered all the times his mother called him her little prince. He had loved it as a nick name and he had loved being pampered by her when he was a little child. But had he known the words had a meaning to it...he wouldn't be as blown away as he was then, he had no idea.

"I...I'm not even a good Death Eater...how can I-" he was embarrassed to admit it but he had no pride left in front of his mother.

"No, you aren't." Narcissa smiled sympathetically at her son. "And I dare say it's what I like about you, my son. It makes you a better human than a lot of people on the Light Side."

"Mother..." Narcissa didn't fail to impress Draco once more that evening. Had he only had this insight in his mother's thoughts earlier, that she wasn't mad at him for failing in being a Death Eater...

"You not being a good Death Eater is what gives us hope, Draco. You can be rescued, a lot of people can be rescued. A truce is all that's left for a chance. We can escape the clutches of death if we make this truce with the Light Side, Draco. Above all, we can negotiate terms, don't you see?"

"But why do I have to marry Harry Potter? Why can't someone else from the Dark Side marry him?" Draco raised his voice after a long time.

"For once, a lot of pure-blood families have taken precautions already since they know a truce is the only thing that can rescue them. As you may have heard, all your unmarried friends and others were paired up and forced into marriages or of their free will to escape that sacrifice. The Parkinson child was married to that Nott child, Zabini to Daphne Greengrass, your friend Goyle to her younger sister Astoria and the list goes on."

Finally Draco understood what was going on, nobody, none of his friends told him why they all married but now he understood and fury spread in his body like ice-cold water. _Egoistic Slytherins, never trust one of them_.

"Twice, you're both the leaders of either side, so a lot of people will listen to you and follow your choice. They'll be pacified and the rebellions will be stopped, the war can finally come to an end. The last reason I'm not quite sure about but something seems to be wrong with their Golden Boy Who Lived, otherwise McGonagall would have never approached me and made the offer."

Draco looked up again, surprised that his former professor approached his mother and made the offer of a truce first but more surprised about something else. "What's wrong with Potter?" He wasn't concerned but curious.

"She didn't say much, they're obviously trying to hide it, so this is some speculation from my side. She was hinting there's something wrong with his magical core ever since he's been using your wand."

"What? But I don't feel-" he wanted to protest because he felt nothing peculiar about the wand that Potter had returned to him on the night of the battle at Hogwarts. Only maybe, it felt warmer in his hands ever since. And the warmth was increasing.

"No, I don't think you would. It's solely him, he somehow linked his magical core to that of your wand and he's gotten really sick, I guess he's losing his magic to your wand, his power is getting weaker and it won't return."

"What?" He almost pitied Potter, not even for his dearest enemy would he wish to turn into a _muggle_.

"Actually it's Harry's own fault. Only relatives or married couples are allowed to use wands of each other over larger spaces of time without attaching one's magical core to it. This is, however, not commonly known. The only ways to detach one's magical core from the object is to kill the owner or marry him. You are Harry's last chance."

"But...why don't we let him be? Maybe being muggle is not so-" he couldn't even end that sentence. "Why- doesn't that mean he will kill me?"

"Draco, didn't I explain to you right now how important your sacrifice is? Do you think it was an easy choice to make? Even for me? I will never see your children. And no, he didn't decide to kill you. He sent McGonagall to make that offer, it was his decision to marry you."

"_What?_" Draco couldn't believe what his mother was telling him. It couldn't be true, it was a dream, a nightmare. "Why would he want that?" he asked but somewhere in the corner of his mind he had to think_ typical Gryffindor, chooses life over death. He's playing the brave hero even when he's the one suffering. _No, the Golden Boy wasn't a killer and Draco knew it.

"He knows how the truce will be beneficial for both sides," it almost sounded reprimanding, Draco thought. Only he was the immature child who didn't sacrifice for the greater good.

Draco cried again as realization hit him, he had to marry Harry Potter and there was no way out. He sobbed into his mother's shoulder.

"Don't cry, my son. I didn't make this choice so I could live, and don't think for one second I did this for Harry Potter, because wizards who lose their magic won't just turn into muggles, they might die. I only did this for you and I promise you, as time goes by, you will smile again. All you have to do is to agree as well. Do you agree, Draco?"

Draco doubted his mother did this for his well-being, but he agreed and wiped at his eyes. "Alright, mother."

Narcissa was proud of her son, he took it as the Malfoy he was, loyal to nothing but family.

* * *

A/N: Hi, this is my first Drarry story, please support it and give it your love. I'm in search for a beta, if you're interested, please out yourself!


	2. Chapter 2

_**In good and bad times**_

"No, they didn't..." Harry stated totally dumbstruck, getting paler than he already was with his constant loss of power. At least his body stopped shaking for a moment.

"Yes, they did."

Harry couldn't believe McGonagall telling him the Malfoys agreed to the truce. Ron tried to talk him out of it for hours, telling him that Malfoy jerk would never agree and at one point he believed him, regardless of the moments he gathered his strength to argue back it was a very good opportunity for the Malfoys and the Dark Side as well. Hermione was surprisingly neutral about that matter, she took her time to research about magical cores and wands and if there was another way to get Harry out of this mess, but Harry assumed she didn't find a solution, seeing as Hermione didn't protest too much against Harry's decision to marry Draco. She cleverly kept calm, so she wasn't standing in between her boyfriend's and her best friend's clashing fronts. Ginny, of course, was heartbroken and cried her soul out when Harry broke up with her. His own tears were wetting his cheeks when he told her it was for the greater good and otherwise he wouldn't have done it, never forgetting those words of Dumbledore, he thought he finally understood their meaning. As lovely as his Ginny was, or not his Ginny anymore, she accepted it because she knew his life depended on it. The caring Ginny never questioned him and he was so thankful he thought he might burst, he would miss her a lot. The rest of the Weasleys were conflicting in their opinions, some distanced themselves from Harry out of loyalty to Ginny and some others hid their sad faces but showed their support since Harry was still like their son and brother. The Weasleys had already lost Fred and they couldn't bear losing him, too.

So he would live and out of all the people in the world Draco Malfoy would safe his life, disturbingly for the second time. He didn't forget the first time when Malfoy refused to recognize him in order to help him. But of course, the price for it was high. He would have to spend that life with Draco Malfoy himself. Just for a tiny moment he had hoped they wouldn't have agreed.

"I'm truly sorry, Harry. I wish there was another way out, I wish I could-"

"No...no. It's all right, Professor." He interrupted her and saw her smile at him sadly. He could see the reflection of her own heart breaking in her eyes hidden behind her glasses, worry thick because she couldn't protect her former student. She and Mrs. Weasley were the closest mother figures Harry had in his life and he was thankful she risked her life to be the messenger for him. "Thank you for everything, Professor."

McGonagall shook her head, "don't be stupid, this was nothing. I only wish I could do more."

This time Harry was the one to shake his head and looked at the floor before McGonagall's voice reached his ears once more.

"We have to be careful, Harry. They didn't agree to the truce unconditionally. There will be terms."

Of course there would, Harry expected this, after all Slytherins weren't called cunning for nothing.

"We are dealing with the Dark and they will try to make smart moves. Especially you have to keep both your eyes on the lookout, Harry because this association will be lifelong."

Harry nodded, "yes, Professor."

"Another thing, Harry. Don't call me Professor since I'm not anymore. Call me Minerva."

Harry tried to smile at her, being barely able to move his blue lips. "I can't, Professor. I respect you too much."

She opened her mouth but no words came out, instead she came forward and hugged the cold boy in front of her, being too overwhelmed. "You can call me aunt if you like." Harry had the tiny feeling she would have added _or mother _but she didn't. Nonetheless, he hugged her back, welcoming her warmth.

McGonagall sighed contently as she retreated and Harry did the same. He was glad she was one of the persons who survived the battle of Hogwarts.

"Now we need a neutral ground where we can negotiate the terms and you can meet your spouse-to-be. The sooner the better, I guess."

Somehow Harry felt sicker than before when he heard how McGonagall referred to Malfoy. He prayed he wouldn't vomit first things first when he really met him face to face with the whole marriage in his mind. It was a great feat, from nemesis to _spouse-to-be. _Merlin help him.

* * *

The neutral ground, as Draco observed, wasn't as neutral as he expected it to be. It was the house of his aunt Andromeda and her late husband. On one hand, he knew she was a person of the Light Side, her mother told him she had even helped the Order of the Phoenix during the beginning of the War. But on the other hand, he had seen how his mother hugged her older sister as she collapsed at the dead body of her daughter. He guessed it was a silent reconciliation between the born Blacks, his mother consoled her when she mourned over her dead family and his aunt consoled his mother when they tore Lucius out of her arms to escort him to Azkaban. The only reason she hadn't been arrested immediately as well was she hadn't had the Dark Mark and they had had no proof she had been involved in any Death Eater activities as eyewitnesses testified she had been passive during the whole battle of Hogwarts, and here it had been mostly Harry's voice that had count, Draco knew.

However, after that he never heard of his mother meeting aunt Andromeda again. He was proven right with his guess the moment they stepped over the threshold and Andromeda fell into Narcissa's embrace, hugging her as if they hadn't seen each other for years. The sound of their sobs and cries soon filled the foyer which already carried the scent of grilled potatoes and meat, Draco asserted as he smelled at the warm waft of air that met him when a wrinkled and mumbling house-elf closed the door behind him. He supposed it would be a longer meeting if his aunt prepared a meal for them, so he took off his cloak.

When Andromeda let go of Narcissa, so she could take off her cloak as well, she threw her arms around Draco, wetting his cheek with her tears.

"Good evening, aunt," he said politely and she sobbed on for a while. He let her calm down before he withdrew but she whispered in his ear before withdrawing herself first.

"I am happy you are alive, nephew. Never would I wish for Narcissa to have the fate of losing her only child."

It was a direct pinch in the heart and Draco felt instantly guilty. "I'm so sorry, aunt. I-"

"Shh...it's not your fault, Draco," she said, doing little good to his mind. "It was her wish to battle and her time had come."

Draco lifted his hands and wiped her tears away below her eyes, earning a little smile. He turned to his mother, who watched them, and earned a little smile from her as well.

"I guess you'd like to see Harry. He's in the third room on the right," she pointed straight ahead, "he's playing with little Teddy."

Although Draco had no idea who little Teddy was, he silently asked his mother with a gaze if he should go alone and she nodded, barely noticeable.

"I'll call you back for dinner in twenty minutes."

He made his way and ignored the voices coming from what he supposed was the dining room. He got nervous only thinking of the many people from the Light Side being possible menaces to him and his mother. He fisted his sweaty palms and shoved at the door in front of him, completely forgetting to count in his nervousness. The room he looked into didn't contain Harry Potter but Granger and the Weasley who were obviously stopping their discussion midway when they heard the door. Malfoy put on the blankest expression he could in that short time, free from any emotion.

"Malfoy." Weasley nodded with a distorted expression and Malfoy nodded back although he knew Weasley was angry at him, the red in his ears hinted the furiousness behind the façade.

"Good evening, Malfoy," Granger said, trying to be even politer than the Weasel. "Harry's in the next room."

He nodded his thanks to her and closed the door but as he sighed he could clearly hear the Weasel complain to her how rude he was that he didn't even speak two words to them.

Rubbing his palms against his trousers, he breathed deeply in before opening the right door. At least he could hear a baby's cooing sounds this time, this had to be little Teddy then. Focusing to put on his most confident expression, he strutted in.

Potter was tickling the baby and smiling at him like Draco never saw him smile at anyone else, so carefree. It was short-lived. He stopped when he heard Draco's food-steps and stood up.

"Malfoy...hi." he said uncertainly and lifted the baby into his arms as he walked towards Draco.

"Potter." Draco snorted out, but with less threat in the voice than he usually had. He couldn't keep the threat in when he knew he was going to marry this young man. "Is that how you greet your...fiancé?" the last word tasted really strange on his tongue and it felt weirder surpassing his lips.

He saw Potter suppressing to gag but that was probably how he felt too, so he didn't take it too offensively. Yet, watching him closely, Potter looked indeed very pale and sick.

"You look horrible, Potter."

"Thanks," was the sarcastic return.

"No seriously, leave it to you to defeat the Dark Lord but be overpowered by a mere wand, and that _my_ wand." He didn't know if the smirk was appropriate but he couldn't help it. He never could hide a good smirk from Potter.

Potter didn't even acknowledge his statement, instead he made his way to the door. "Excuse me for a second," he said as he passed Malfoy. When their arms brushed, Draco trembled by his cold temperature that radiated off him. No wonder the baby had cried when he was lifted with those arms.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco asked and strutted after him, how could Potter even think of leaving him alone in such a place with so many dangerous people in the house.

He saw how Potter opened the door to the room where the Weasel and Granger were currently residing. "I'm just handing Teddy over, so we could talk in private for a bit."

"Oh." Draco didn't know what to say, the nervousness somehow spread through his whole body and something fluttered in the pit of his stomach, he felt as if he was going to be sick too. Hopefully the illness Potter had wasn't contagious.

"Harry!" yelled Granger surprised while Weasley stood up from where he was sitting, alarmed.

"Is everything okay?" Draco got a dangerous glare from the red-head, making Draco hide behind Potter.

"Yeah, of course. Could you two look after Teddy for a while?"

Granger sighed in relief, stood up and walked over to take the crying baby out of his arms. "Thanks, Mione." Potter told her who received a smile.

"No problem."

The door to their room closed again and Potter led Draco to the previous one they were in. Draco got a little scared when Potter put a strong Silencing Charm on the room but the feeling was gone when Potter collapsed against the closed door. Carefully he knelt down to Potter when he surprisingly felt _worried_.

He cleared his throat. "Are...are you okay?" Potter only breathed slowly in response. Draco shook him, the touch freezing his fingers. _Merlin! _"Hey...a-are you fine?" He tried not to panic, Malfoys didn't panic. "Stupid Gryffindor! How stupid of you to use a strong Silencing Charm when you knew your magic is leaving you! You should have let me do it!" Well, Malfoys sure knew how to throw hysteric fits.

Potter surely was mocking him when his lips curved into a smile. "Scared, Malfoy?" he barely whispered.

"You wish! I'll show you-" he never told Potter what he'd show him because Potter pulled him forward, making him fall into his arms.

Draco gasped, too aghast to push himself off. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered too and felt how his neck felt so warm suddenly, the warmth creeping up to his face aside from Potter's cold body embracing him.

"Greeting my f-fi- greeting you," he didn't say the word and Draco felt pathetic being sad about it since he managed to say the word.

"You're so cold," he commented instead in an attempt to change the topic.

"And you're so warm," Potter said against his neck, his breath tickling his skin.

He suppressed a shudder and shoved himself off finally. Coughing and avoiding Potter's eyes, he looked around the room as he talked again. It had baby colours, a baby bed, baby toys, a baby cupboard, everything screamed baby, he was sure it was Teddy's room.

"I guess after the bonding ceremony you'll get your powers and warmth back."

"Assuming that there will be one."

Draco turned back as fast as he could, glaring at those green eyes that had quite lost their glow. "What, you're breaking up with me before things get started?"

"Malfoy..." Harry sighed.

"Not the noble Gryffindor I thought you were. I'm hurt, Potter." he displayed the fake emotion by putting one hand on top of his heart.

"It's not what you think," he breathed with difficulty. "I heard your mother agreed to the truce. But what about you? Do you know what that means? Were you forced into this or do _you_ agree?"

It clicked in Draco's mind. Potter was still playing noble Gryffindor. "How considerate of you," he smirked. "Yes, _I_ agreed to this. I know what it means. The truce is important for both Sides."

Harry shook his head. "No...apart from the truce. You will have to bear with me your whole life as I have to bear mine with you. Think, do you want that?"

Draco got serious as well. "What I want is not important and there is no 'apart from the truce'. Your life is depending on it."

"Do you think I don't know that? I wish you could try to think above this." He paused and drove his hands through his messy hair, which made Draco angrier than he thought it would. Did Potter think he was the only stressed creature?

"What do you want from me, Potter?" he raised his voice. "A happy married life? An eternal love story? A happily ever after? 'Cause that's what you definitely won't get from me! I'm Malfoy, your school rival, your arch nemesis, for goodness' sake! We hate each other!" He didn't even realize his heart increasing it's beating rhythm or his breathing adding speed.

"No, we don't." Was Potter's only response and Draco snorted anew. "I don't hate you."

"Of course you do! We don't even call ourselves by first names! And you can't even say the word!"

"Which word?"

"The word – what I'm going to be to you. You stuttered! You can't even name our future relationship!"

"F-fi-fi...sp-spou-spous-spouse-to..."

"_Pathetic_." Draco turned his back on him, not being able to watch the weak Potter trying to say a word he obviously couldn't.

"I'm sorry," a whispered apology hit his back. "I'm trying. But I can't marry you like this. I don't want you to force yourself into a relationship where you think you won't be happy. And I don't want an unhappy marriage. I don't want to abstain from love either."

"Then why don't you kill me then?" Draco snapped. "Why didn't you kill me till now? You had lots of opportunities! By now I would have been gone and you had your powers back, so you wouldn't have an 'unhappy marriage', you could marry whoever you want and wouldn't have to 'abstain from love'!"

Potter forced himself onto his feet, leaning heavily against the door for support, then he turned Draco around and told him the same thing he told his friends over a thousand times for the past few days. "I wouldn't kill and I wouldn't kill you. I would never be able to kill you, Draco."

It was the use of his first name that made Draco look up into Potter's eyes which suddenly seemed so soft with their gaze at him.

"You aren't a bad person. You aren't a dark person although you're the leader of the Dark Side. You never killed and you don't deserve to die, Draco. I saw you that night on the tower."

"W-_what?_"

"I know you were supposed to kill Dumbledore, but you couldn't. I saw you lower your wand."

Draco wanted to ask how he could have been there but then he remembered that Invisibility Cloak in Potter's possession, he had touched that rare piece during his sixth year when he had thrown it over Potter in the Hogwarts train.

"I was there when Dumbledore tried to rescue you, he said your soul was still undamaged and he offered you and your mother protection."

A whimper unwillingly escaped him at the image of the dead Dumbledore, he would never forgive himself for what had happened that night.

"Draco...look at me," said Potter. "I offer you the same. I want us to be able to live with each other, hopefully without regret. And maybe one day with...love."

_Bloody sentimental Gryffindor, _Draco thought and a tear escaped him. He felt weird when Potter wiped the tear away with his harsh thumb.

"I...I don't know," Draco forced his voice not to break in the middle.

"Draco, I'm begging you, consider your answer without thinking that I would die if you wouldn't agree, without thinking there is a truce to be made."

With all his will Draco tried to think through it again, like Potter told him. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them he saw Potter had collapsed to the floor again.

But apparently, this time it was on purpose, as he put his weight onto one knee and took one of Draco's hands in his.

"You can't be serious!" he gasped loudly.

Potter smiled up at him, he didn't like that smile, he knew that smile. It usually meant trouble for him.

"Draco Malfoy, please marry me and be my sp-sp-," he sighed and started that part again.

Draco seriously considered it, he decided he would make his answer dependant on Potter's next attempt. _You better get it right this time..._

"Please be my _spouse_ with the intention to lead a _happy_ married life with me."

Looking down at the kneeling Potter with the hopeful eyes, he had difficulty not to grin at his success to say the word. "You almost messed it up again."

No matter what he did, Potter still heard that snicker in Malfoys high voice. "Is that a yes?"

Staring at the air and avoiding to show Potter the new heat building in his cheeks, he said, "I already agreed to this once. I don't think I need to do it a second time."

Potter gasped at the unexpected answer. It was the closest thing to a yes he had wished for. With the support of Draco's hand he pulled himself up and hugged him, seeking for his warmth.

"I owe you my life," Potter breathed against his shoulder and Draco felt that weird flutter in the pit of his stomach again.

"No, you don't. You rescued me from the fyndfire. And you guys rescued me from that Death Eater in Hogwarts during the battle. We're two on two now. I guess we're quit."

"Harry! Draco! Dinner is ready!" Someone knocked on the door, it sounded like Granger.

Although Draco was sure she couldn't hear nor see them, he still pushed Potter back and went for the door, embarrassed about the new proximity between him and his future husband. _Merlin_, it was even weird thinking about it.

Something pulled him back before he could swing his wand to unlock the door. It was Harry's hand which felt much warmer by now.

"There is something else."

"What?" Draco tilted his head in question.

"I have a child."

Teddy was _his_ child, Draco couldn't stop thinking repeatedly.

"Who's his mother?" was all he dared to get out, he somehow felt betrayed, even before their relationship started.

"Nymphadora Tonks."

"You had a child with _my cousin_?"

Harry's eyes widened when he realized what Draco's stoic expression meant. "No, of course not! Lupin was his father!"

He felt stupid.

"Teddy's my godchild."

"Oh...all right."

"I'd be happy if you let me bring him into our marriage. Maybe one day you'll adopt him as well." He looked positively hopeful.

"I'll think about it," he said dryly but Potter still hugged him again.

"Thank you." Potter withdrew and grinned at him. "You really thought he was mine?" Draco wanted to protest open-heartedly but then Potter confessed something more embarrassing. "I'd be glad to be his real dad, but I...I've never been...I've never had..."

And so fast the table could be turned again. This time Draco showed teeth when he smirked widely. "You're as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, aren't you?" Harry coughed and looked at his feet. "It's okay, I understand that. I mean...it's nothing we can't fix, can we?"

Potter's cheeks turned beet-red and Draco found it was a nice change. At least the warmth did him only good but before he could comment on the colour, Potter had escaped to the door.

"No! Don't unlock it, I'll do it!" He yelled after him. The least thing he needed was Potter collapsing on him again.

He received that mischievous smile he had already received earlier. "You're already worrying about me."

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

They argued all the way to the dining room where six pairs of eyes met them, astonished at the display.

"I can't believe it, are you two fighting again?" McGonagall asked fiercely.

They both shook their heads vigorously, as if they were caught in a childish crime they participated in at school. "No, Professor."

"And you two are the wizarding world's last hope at a peaceful end of the war? Merlin help us."

* * *

They dined in silence, except for the sound of moving dishes, cutting and spooning the food, or someone asking someone else to hand over something across the table. Sometimes whispers were shared between Narcissa and Andromeda or between the Minister for Magic, Shacklebolt, and McGonagall. The mood all in all was down but the air was stimulated by the magics present in the room.

Everybody knew, following the dinner would be the negotiations about the terms of the truce. The reason why everyone had gathered. And highly possibly, an engagement ceremony would be held.

Malfoy was sitting next to Harry's left, as Andromeda had arranged, she wanted to give them more opportunity to talk before the truce was made since she didn't want any of them to suffer through this.

Harry had seen Malfoy's straight posture hundreds of times across the great hall, eating his meals like the sophisticatedly raised brat he was. Still, Malfoy never was this straight and this up-tight. In fact, he couldn't get one bite down without thinking how strange all this was. His throat hurt as if there was a knot in it.

He leaned against Malfoy's side, brushing his arm and thigh, and whispered into his ear. "I can't eat seeing you like this. Relax."

Malfoy dropped his fork onto his plate with a loud bang. He excused himself when the others started to stare at him and glared threateningly at Harry who tried not to laugh.

"Mind your own business," Malfoy let out between gritted teeth.

That was the only time they talked throughout the whole dinner.

* * *

The negotiations started the moment Kreacher served everyone a glass of butterbeer. Andromeda, Ron and Hermione weren't allowed to participate in the talks. Shacklebolt said he wanted the numbers to be as fair as possible, Shacklebolt and McGonagall with Harry and Narcissa with Draco on the other side. Shacklebolt took more the role of the notary, but the presence of the Minister for Magic was important. After all, maybe he had to enact certain laws, so the truce could be made.

"First of all, fair trials for everybody." Narcissa said deadly. This was a point where she wouldn't allow any argumentation. "For all the pure-bloods and Death Eaters. So the innocent can be claimed as innocent."

"What do you mean with innocent?" McGonagall asked.

"My son for example is innocent. He never killed a fly and he wasn't an active Death Eater."

"Except, he let Death Eaters into the school during his sixth year..." McGonagall said but she was met with a high raised voice, too.

"He is innocent! He was forced into it by the Dark Lord himself, otherwise the Dark Lord would have killed us all!"

McGonagall didn't dare to counter anything this time.

"As I said, fair trials." Narcissa continued. "And close observation into the handling at Azkaban. Clean cells, decent food for the inmates and punishment for corrupt watchmen. Most importantly, no Dementor's Kiss for anybody. I don't care about the werewolves but no Kisses for the wizards and witches."

Harry thought all this was a certainty, except for the Dementor's Kiss, but he had never been in Azkaban and he could imagine too good that someone would use their power to make life in Azkaban hell, especially for Death Eaters.

"I will see into this." said Shacklebolt with determination.

"Second point, no confiscation of any pure-blood-family property."

Harry heard about this from Mr. Weasley who worked in the Ministry for years now. Mr. Weasley himself confiscated property, but Harry was sure, he only did confiscate things that had dark magic in it and were a possible threat to the public. Here too, Harry could imagine how some of the Ministry employees could cover up greater confiscations, telling people the things were dangerous.

"That's impossible. We have to search the grounds at least for dangerous objects. We can't risk another one of You-Know-Who's objects lying around-"

"Then I want a greater observation into the searchings, so the Ministry won't exploit their power. I have seen some of these exploits with my own eyes."

"I will help!" Harry chimed in.

"Harry, you can't-" McGonagall started but Harry interrupted her.

"Yes, I can. I'll soon start my auror-training anyway, I will personally see into this, I will observe the searchings." He looked at Narcissa this time who looked suspicious but she nodded in the end.

"Of course, only if the Minister will allow me to..."

"You have my authorisation."

"That's set, then." Harry saw Malfoy look at him in his peripheral vision and saw how Malfoy didn't seem to like the idea of this. He had to ask him later about it.

"Third point, no confiscation of any Gringott-vault. Our money had nothing to do with this battle, and we had it even before the Dark Lord returned. The goblins can bear witness."

Shacklebolt cleared his throat but he agreed to this point as well.

"Fourth, an approval for none-Death Eaters in pure-blood families to leave the land."

Another point that was agreed upon.

"Fifth, a guaranteed chance for every Death Eater who had their punishments to restart their lives. A full integration into the society and an approval to restart working in their specialized jobs. No exclusions."

This point they worked out and everybody put their own ideas in to come to a solution. Shacklebolt ended this one by pointing out that planing a schema for this would take longer than a day, maybe a year. After all, a new system had to be created for this.

"What's the next point?"

"Access to St. Mungo's."

McGonagall started to snicker. "I doubt anyone would be willing to heal a Death Eater."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about!" Narcissa pointed out. "We have our own dead and wounded. But we have healers, too. We need the access to the supplements, nowhere in the wizarding world but in St. Mungo's are they found. Otherwise a lot of innocent would die!"

"Death Eaters too!"

"Maybe, but Healers have taken oaths! They aren't allowed to make exclusions and choose their patients, they have to heal every wounded wizard, starting from the wizard in the worst condition!"

The minister knew she was right, so she added this point to the list he was working on by swinging his wand. "Anything else?"

Narcissa thought for a moment, thought what she could have forgotten when the younger Malfoy cleared his throat carefully.

"Draco?" McGonagall asked.

"I want my mother to be allowed to go into exile if she wishes to. With the authorisation to visit me. And she needs stronger protective wards by the Ministry. She is a target on both sides."

Harry smiled sympathetically at his spouse-to-be. He put a protective hand on his thigh, which made Malfoy's breath hitch. "I want the same wards to be put on Draco." said Harry.

The minister agreed since Harry was in for this, too.

"One more." Narcissa broke the silence. "I want my husband to be released for the day of the marriage. He should at least see his only son marrying when he's going to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban."

Harry saw how her eyes got that wet twinkle but she didn't start crying. Harry saw as well how Draco nodded at his mother in silent support, his own tears threatening to overflow but it never happened.

Having finished the points, Harry's side listed some of their own which basically dealt with the details and technicalities of the first ones.

Then both sides negotiated terms of the marriage contract. Stating points such as,

-the length of the bond had to be eternal for keeping the truce intact.

-No infidelity was allowed.

Some points were extremely intimate, making both young men blush when talked about.

-In case of sexual frustration the partner had to perform sexual favours, otherwise sex once a week was a rule. More than that was welcomed to strengthen the bond.

-Position-changes between 'receiver' and 'giver' was a rule to avoid fights over a certain role. However, there was no time limit.

-Rape and violence wasn't allowed.

-Getting to know each other in a respectable way was a rule, whatever that meant.

-However, each man's privacy had to be respected as well.

-Contradicting to that was the point that stated no bigger secrets were allowed to be kept from each other.

-The use of each other's vaults was only allowed with the authorisation of the partner.

-Frequent dates and special events were not a must but welcomed to keep the marriage alive.

-Visitations from and to each other's families had to be allowed.

-For longer individual trips the spouse needed to have the authorisation of the other. Trips together were welcomed and a must once a year.

A lot of what if clauses followed that, what if one rule was broken and what to do in case one filed in for divorce. In fact, everything ended with the result of allowing either party to break the truce, causing the wizarding world to probably break into a new war. Which neither Harry nor Draco wished for.

They had to work it out.

The last term on the list of their discussion was about Teddy.

"I want a term stating that I bring Teddy, my adoptive- and godson into the marriage and that he's allowed to live with us."

"Only in case Draco has nothing against it." Narcissa stated.

Harry shook his head and smiled at the younger Malfoy, "of course."

Draco didn't say no and Harry had little idea he only agreed because he saw Harry give Teddy that special smile before. "I'm fine with it."

"I want an addition to that term. In case Draco wishes to adopt Teddy, too, he may freely do so."

The young Malfoy nodded again, making Harry extremely happy although he didn't show it in front of the other adults.

* * *

Under the supervision of the elders, Potter and Draco signed the marriage contract with their own blood while the truce-document only needed a normal sign and a handshake between the parties.

"I'll go and work out these papers at the ministry to legalize them," said Shacklebolt. "You'll be able to hold the bonding ceremony in no less than two days and the press will get to know about the truce by that same time."

They nodded and bid him farewell before the boys saw off their former professor as well.

Potter would stay with Granger and Weasley till the older Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would come by to pick them up.

Only Draco and his mother had to leave now. They had to come back in two days for the ceremony, since they decided the marriage should be held in the 'neutral' zone. Only a few would be invited anyway but till then a lot of arrangements had to be made. Narcissa had to inform the Dark Side of the terms in the truce apart from arranging the wedding and Draco was greatly worried about her.

Still his mother smiled at him when she caught his eyes and handed him the box with the Malfoy family heirloom. The platinum ring with the grand magical diamond she had received when she had been engaged to Lucius.

His hands trembled when he took the box out of her hands before she kissed the top of his blond head. "I'm proud of you," she whispered and he closed his eyes, forcing back his tears.

He walked over to the standing Potter and stretched out the box. "My mother wants me to give this to you."

"What is in it?" Potter asked him curiously and was already opening it.

"The Malfoy engagement ring."

Potter startled at the sparkling diamond facing him. Draco took the ring for him out of the box and pulled Potter's left hand into his. Slowly he shoved the ring up his ring-finger, the ring magically transforming into the right size. It was calming that Potter's hand wasn't cold anymore at all.

"Now you're officially my fiancé," he said nervously and whispered the "_Harry_."

Potter gasped before telling him to wait for a second. Draco's eyes followed him as he ran into the room they were earlier in. Not three seconds later he was standing in front of Draco again, out of breath but holding a similar box in his hands.

"I came prepared, too."

Draco guessed it was a ring as well but he still was surprised when Potter shoved it up the ring-finger of his own left hand. "It's the Potter engagement ring."

Draco wanted to ask him how he had gotten that, since his parents were dead but Harry gladly explained it himself.

"I found it in my vault, my parents' vault. The goblins said it once belonged to Godric Gryffindor's wife, since I'm the last heir. It has magical features but I have no idea how they work."

It was a golden ring with a red ruby on it and Draco was speechless. So many questions went through his mind as he marvelled at the ring, how come he never knew Potter was Gryffindor's heir, and the last one at that? No wonder he was the one being able to defeat the last heir of Slytherin!

"Do you like it?" Potter asked but Draco wasn't able to give a coherent answer.

"_Godric Gryffindor's wife?_ Bloody hell!"

Potter laughed at that.

"Harry, Ma-Draco, cheese!" Granger came into their view with a muggle camera and decided to call him by his first name now, since she was practically part of Harry's family and Draco now too.

She took a picture when Potter sneakily put an arm around Draco's shoulders, making sure he showed off the Malfoy ring while Draco's Potter ring was in the view. Draco startled at the flash and he cursed under his breath before his mother told him it was time to go.

Draco almost didn't want Potter to let go of him, but he didn't dare to voice it out. Not then, not the first time they met after the battle, not the first day into their new relationship. He would wait till he had sorted out his feelings and till the sorted feelings had intensified. _Stupid Potter_...confusing the shit out of him in just one day.

* * *

A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the hits, the subscriptions and the three reviews in the previous chapter by YourGothicButterfly, Veneya and Sasunaru N Ichihitsu! _You _guys are awesome and rock! :)


	3. Chapter 3

_**In good and bad times  
***_

Harry was confused. He was buried under three blankets on the extra-bed in the burrow, only his left hand was outstretched in front of his view. Ron was softly snoring in the next bed while he was playing with the diamond on his ring-finger, deep in thought and reliving the evening. Even with no light in the dark room the ring glowed like a little moon. After all it was magical, Malfoy had told him. Nothing kept him warm, not Hermione's best Warming Charms nor Mrs. Weasley's hottest chocolate and the blankets helped barely. But the ring seemed to spread a comfortable warmth from his hand up through his whole body.

What confused him though was his strange behaviour throughout Malfoy's visit. He'd acted strangely, Hermione and Ron had told him, even he knew it himself. He had had more than a civil conversation with Malfoy for a change, _Merlin,_ he had even longed for his embrace. He'd anticipated every brush of his body against Malfoy's and no touch had been enough to satisfy him. As if his body had solely sought for Malfoy's warmth, _goodness_ had he been warm. Nothing he had touched in the last months had been as warm as Malfoy when he had been in his arms, _nothing_. He had loved it, as short as it had been, which was strange because why had he loved to embrace his former school-rival.

His body had felt like a moth being gravitated towards light. He had probably thought in his subconscious that he should treat his _light_ well, so the warmth kept coming his way. Not that it had been a bad thing, since he'd treated Malfoy with his best behaviour, he had been treated the closest thing to well in return, which was unbelievable in itself.

He guessed it was positive, being on his future husband's good side. He needed at least that positive aspect in his life, after all the trouble of defeating Voldemort, getting ill and breaking up with his girlfriend. Especially about the last he tried not to think.

He couldn't fall asleep, he felt cold and imagining all the warmth Malfoy could share he got sad not being on the receiving end of it right now. He finally tugged his left arm under the three blankets and closed his eyes, forcing himself to fall asleep with the sole and final thought of Malfoy's warmth, warmth, _warmth_.

WHAM! He felt a tug in the pit of his stomach, as if space-time had gulped him in and thrown him down a tunnel, on the end he was spit out into an unfamiliar gigantic four-poster bed with cool grey sheets. Suddenly someone moved next to him and looked up in his direction from under the blanket. In no time a hawthorn wand was pointing down his throat, the tip of it felt hot against his skin.

"R-Reveal yourself, stranger! Or I'll k-kill you this instant!"

"Malfoy?"

"_Harry_? I mean- Potter? What in Merlin's name-"

Only hearing Malfoy call him by his first name, even though Malfoy was in an afraid state and breathing so fast, made Harry throw his arms around him and take pleasure in the heat he received from that bundle of body and blanket.

"I have no idea but - hi."

Malfoy punched him in the face, Harry rolled back to the side, his cheek stinging with pain. "_Hi? _Bugger off! You scared the shit out of me, Potter!" Malfoy deliberately whispered with a lot of menace in his voice because he looked like he didn't want to let the rest of the Manor know about the late night interruption.

Harry shushed him repeatedly with his apologies while he rubbed his own hurting face. "Ouch! I'm sorry, I said I'm sorry!"

"Not that I was _really_ scared! Malfoys don't get scared. I was shocked and maybe a little surprised."

Harry huffed at that, "I can list occasions of at least six years that prove the opposite."

At Malfoy's questioning look that told him "no, you can't", he went on.

"Want to see me try? First year, forbidden forest; you ran out crying like a little girl while I was attacked!"

"That was the Dark Lord himself and I was eleven, what did you expect? I didn't even cry like a little girl!"

"Third year, Buckbeak."

"That Hippogriff wanted to eat me!"

"Sure. Third year, Hermi-"

"Stop it right there!" Malfoy interrupted and didn't hear the added 'one'. "What are you doing here anyway?" Malfoy shoved him and Harry almost fell down the other side of the bed.

"Hey!" Harry let out and clung to the blanket, quickly crawling under it next to Malfoy, shivers making him search for heat and letting him feel like home, forgetting whose territory this was.

Malfoy stared at him perplexed. "What do you think you are doing here?"

"I don't know, all right?"

"Nothing's all right!"

"It suddenly happened! I don't even know how, I was playing with my ring, your ring. I mean the ring you gave me. And I was...I was thinking about you before drifting off and then BANG and – I'm here."

Malfoy looked at him weirder than before, his expression showing Harry's babble was like a foreign language, a dead one, like runes.

"What?"

"I think the ring is a port-key."

It got suspiciously silent and Harry was dying to know what Malfoy was just thinking. _He thinks I'm crazy. He thinks his future spouse is an obsessed stalker. Oh Merlin..._ He remembered hearing those words in a different voice a long time ago. _Harry...you're obsessed with him, _Hermione's voice ringed in his ears. _No_, Harry wasn't and to prove it to himself he slid back a safe distance.

He was taken off-guard when Malfoy repeated his own words and scratched at his chin with fore-finger and thumb.

"You think the ring is a port-key?"

"Yes," Harry eagerly nodded, wishing Malfoy believed him.

"And it got activated when you were thinking about me..."

"Well, it happened unconsciously but yes... and-"

"And you landed here exactly next to me?"

"Well, yes-"

"Then it's clear. Congratulations, Potter."

"What?"

"You discovered the magical feature of the ring and that on the first night. Now bugger off like I told you."

Even in the dark Harry could make out something distorted on Malfoy's face. "You're saying bugger off but you're smirking. What's so funny?" Harry feared the answer because he knew that kind of smirk like the back of his hands. Something embarrassing was going to be said about him.

"Nothing...just, the reason that you're actually here. My mother warned me something might happen..."

"Great and what exactly did she say? Couldn't she be specific from the start?"

"She said she couldn't tell me and I had to experience it for myself. It was a test. She said the ring-owner's true intentions would be revealed." To Harry's horror, Malfoy's lips stretched wider. "You're obviously in love with me, Potter."

Harry had that reoccurring feeling of wanting to puke. "What the- no, I'm not!"

"Come on, nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people feel that way about me. I know I'm irresistible." Malfoy had the nerve to juggle forward and put his arms on top of Harry's in a mocking sense but the latter escaped from the bed, disgusted by the burning on his skin.

"How dare you! This...this isn't funny!"

"But why else would you be here? You can't apparate within the Manor! You admitted you were thinking about me before you landed here and the ring would only bring you to me if you were in love with me-"

"Definitely not!"

"-or were fond of me?"

"Uh...no."

"-or somewhat protective of me?"

"Uh..."

"-or had at least good intentions towards me?"

"Maybe," Harry was willing to say at last. "Let me say it this way, I don't want to do you any harm."

"Hm. That must be it then. Even though it would be hell of a lot funnier if you where nuts about me," Malfoy laughed and it sounded hysterical, it was a strange sound.

"You're crazy," Harry commented while he watched the laugh die out.

"Whatever, I'm going to sleep. Again. Night, Potter. And bugger off."

Harry had no idea what to do in the next few minutes but to stare at Malfoy's lying form, getting comfortable for sleep. He didn't dare to set one foot apart from Malfoy's room. He wasn't an invited guest in the Manor right now and Merlin knew what was awaiting him outside. He wasn't scared of anything in particular but certain memories he gained during the war haunted him. Then their was the somewhat intimidating image of Narcissa Malfoy being somewhere out there.

He climbed back into the bed, already liking the warmth that immediately reach out to him.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" Malfoy whispered between gritted teeth when he pulled the blanket to himself.

"I can't go out!" Harry insisted. "I have no idea how to get out of here and back to the Burrow."

"That's your problem, go back the same way you came in here! Use the ring!"

"I don't know how! Anyway, I'm sleepy and cold," he said and carefully skidded forward to Malfoy's body. He closed his eyes, smiling to himself and relished the cushy position.

Malfoy hissed when Harry huddled against him. "You're really cold. You're jittering..."

"Did you think I was joking?"

"No, I was just thinking you were trying to get into my pants," Harry's jaw dropped and Malfoy chuckled. "_I_ was joking, Potter."

Words failed Harry, he turned his face away in order to hide his red face, at least the hot blush felt good on his cheeks. The blush deepened when Malfoy pitied him enough to put his arms around him.

"You're so stiff, try to relax. Only...only two more days, bear with it. Then the coldness will go away."

"What is this, a charity hug?" Harry wanted to be funny but Malfoy took it the wrong way and pulled back his arms.

"Damn, Potter! I'm trying to help!"

"I know! Come back! Come back, please?"

Without any further words Malfoy accepted his indirect apology and embraced Harry's cold body again. Harry was grateful and put his arms under Malfoy's to hug him around the thin but warm waist while simultaneously placing his head against Malfoy's chest, rubbing his cheek against silk pyjamas that covered a slowly beating heart.

* * *

The wards in the Manor registered an intruder in the middle of the night, Narcissa Malfoy was alarmed but not frightened. She expected this. But to be sure, she sensed the wards for the exact location of the intrusion. It was Draco's bedroom, that she expected, too.

"_Homenum Revelio,_" she whispered into the night while pointing her wand in the direction of Draco's room.

The strong spell suspended into a misty curtain in the air and waved through the walls of the Manor only to return seconds after with the shadow of two persons hugging each other. Two misty names floated above the shadows, one being Draco A. Malfoy, she hated that middle name, she liked Lucius better, and the other being Harry J. Potter. She expected it being Harry Potter, what she didn't expect was what they were doing.

"Fast boy," she smirked to herself. Now she was sure she made the right choice for Draco because Harry Potter had pure intentions and meant well with her son.

* * *

Draco was amazed. He was lying in his bed with none other than Harry Potter, his former arch-nemesis, the Boy Who Lived and Lived, the man he was going to marry in two days. He had no idea why but he liked it. Nobody ever, no other soul than his own had lain on this bed and now, Potter was his first guest. Not in his weirdest dreams, and there were a lot of those, had he imagined Harry Potter in his bedroom in the Manor, his haven, his home, his four walls.

Good, there was that bed he had owned in Hogwarts for six years but only his fellow classmates from Slytherin had sat on that from time to time, or his ex-girlfriend Pansy who had lain on it once or twice. Pansy Parkinson, who he broke up with during sixth year and who married Theodore Nott without even telling him. He had never really liked Nott, that loner.

But this one, this was his private bed, and now he was sharing it with Potter. It felt intimate, as if he was _kissing_ Potter.

His cheeks warmed and he felt a strange flutter in the pit of his stomach again. He was thankful for the darkness but to make it even darker he took his wand to turn out the weak light in the crystal ball on his nightstand that he turned on when the intrusion happened.

"_Nox,_" he cast the spell non-verbally. With another light swish of his wand he drew the curtains of his four-poster-bed, in case they were disturbed. He didn't want to be find in an embarrassing pose in the morning. "_Imperturbabus_," this time he had to whisper the spell to cast it upon the curtains.

"Huh?" Potter hummed groggily and looked up.

"Nothing...I made the curtains sound-proof," he responded. _Just in case,_ he thought to himself.

"What curtains?" Potter asked confused and looked around only to understand. "Oh."

He could feel how Potter's heartbeat sped up against his chest and realized the wrong implication of his own words too late.

"It's nothing like that! Don't get me wrong! I was doing it just in case you would have another fit, so we wouldn't be discovered by my mother!"

When he heard Potter sigh loudly, he knew Potter must have held his breath. He relaxed but Potter still yelled at him. "Who's having another fit? You were the screaming scared one when I landed in your bed!"

"I wasn't scared!"

"I know, I know! Malfoys don't get scared. You were _a little surprised._"

"Exactly! And I wasn't screaming!"

"But you're doing it now!"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, hear your voice? You're having another fit!"

"I'm not! Whatever, I'm too sleepy to argue with you right now," Potter said agitatedly and turned around, letting Draco stare at his back.

Draco didn't know whether to be happy that he won the argument or scream at Potter for being so stubbornly stupid. Both feelings wore off when he saw Potter starting to jitter again, his back shook as if a chill ran down his spine.

"Stubborn Gryffindor," he cursed softly when he spooned Potter, putting one arm around him and the other underneath his own head.

Potter became stock-still and said nothing. Draco was fine with that, he just wanted to sleep again.

That soon was proven to be difficult when Potter started to play with his hand on the arm that was spooning Potter.

"Can't you be still long enough for me to fall asleep?"

He saw Potter startling at that. "I... your engagement ring, it's glowing red in the dark, just like mine is glowing white. Can you take it off? I don't think I can sleep like that."

"I tried, Potter. As soon as I came back. It's not working. I can't take it off. It's like a jinx."

"I see." Potter said and Malfoy knew he was contemplating something. After a while Potter spoke again. "Can I try taking it off?"

Malfoy sighed in annoyance. "Suit yourself."

In a soft caress Potter moved his fingers around the ring on Draco's finger and slowly he turned it around, then down. It slipped off and the movement prickled under Draco's skin all the way to his finger-tip. He gasped. "How did you do that?"

"Are you sure you tried everything?"

"Of course!"

"Then I guess the magic only allows me to take it off."

"Fucking fantastic," Draco cursed.

"What?"

"Nothing. Put the ring away and go to sleep."

* * *

Next morning they were woken up by Narcissa Malfoy herself knocking at the bedroom-door. Draco would have jumped up if Potter wasn't hugging him like his life depended on it. Maybe it did, Draco thought when feeling how cold Potter was.

"Potter," he shook him, "Potter, wake up!" It didn't work. "Harry?" he whispered into his ear and suddenly Potter grinned with closed eyes, rubbing himself against Draco. "Potter, get a grip! My mother is at the door!"

Potter jumped up and pulled Draco right with him to a sitting position. "What are we going to do?"

"We? I know what you are going to do! You are going to bugger off at last!"

"But how?" Potter asked in panic, looking left and right for the glasses that fell off during the night.

Draco found them on his side and placed them on Potter's nose. "I don't know, use the ring, anything but get lost! Please!" There, Draco was in such a panic himself that he came down to begging. Never had he been humiliated like this, not even when Potter had rescued him from the fiendfyre, all heroic. Somehow the image of his mother coming into his bedroom while he was in it with Harry Potter seemed much worse. What would she think? She could come to _any_ conclusion. _Oh Merlin, help me!_

While he was trying to regulate his breathing, Potter took the bloody time to reach out for the stupid red engagement ring on the nightstand, as if he hadn't anything better to do!

Another row of knocks followed. "Potter you fu-"

"Here, take this before I go," Potter said and took his hand, shoving the ring on. "I'm the only one who can move it," he shrugged with his shoulders when Draco threw him a deathly glare.

Draco was furious and wished for only one thing. "Potter, go away, go back to the burrow!"

WHAM! A silent crack in the air shocked him, similar to that one of apparition but not so loud, and then, Harry was gone. Just like that! _Thank you, Merlin! Thank you, thank you, thank you!_

"Draco darling, are you awake," came the voice of his mother from his door.

He could hear her but she couldn't hear him, Draco thanked the heavens again that he had cast the Imperturbable charm the previous night. He quickly tidied his bed, took the charm off the curtains, drew them back and answered her.

"I'm awake, mother. Come in."

As soon as he said it, she opened the door and looked in. She cast a glance all around, as if she knew Draco was hiding something from her. She furrowed her brows when she didn't find anything.

"Morning, darling," she said finally. "Time to make some arrangements for your wedding."

"Give me ten minutes to get ready and I'll be downstairs, mother."

"I'll give you twenty and you have a proper shower, darling. After all we want to have you in your best shape for the robe-fitting." She smiled at him and it was suspicious._ Does she know? Merlin, she knows and is thinking who-knows-what._

Draco exercised everything he knew about Occlumency and held his cool demeanour. "All right, mother."

His mother nodded and went away, her dark green chiffon dress floating behind her with every elegant step.

The moment the door closed Draco fell to the floor and broke into a sweat, now he really needed a shower.

* * *

_How did he send him back? _Narcissa asked herself. The ring never worked that way for her. It only sent her to Lucius while they were engaged, but it never sent her back, which led to really embarrassing encounters with Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius' father. That man was a truly bad and conservative person, so old-fashioned.

Narcissa wanted to demonstrate that she was a better person than that, she wasn't old-fashioned. And if she'd seen her son with Potter, she would've laughed at them both, embarrassed them but accepted it. It was a parents-child thing. Alas, she hadn't the chance!

There wasn't any magical trace of Potter in the room, telling her he was hiding, she had checked it thoroughly.

_So, how did he send him back?_

* * *

When Harry found himself back in the burrow, on his extra-bed next to Ron's, he sighed in relief. He stood up and checked if Ron woke up but it seemed like Ron only woke up hearing him move around in the room.

"Huh? Harry, everythingallright?

"Yeah, yeah. Go back to sleep."

Ron nodded and closed his eyes, yawning deeply.

_Thank goodness_, Harry thought. Ron hadn't even realized Harry had been missing for the night.

It made Harry grin, till he noticed how he steadily got colder. He already missed Malfoy.

_Damn,_ Harry cursed under his breath, he was confused again. Why would he miss a git who wanted him to get lost?

* * *

A/N: Hi :) I wanted to thank you all so much for reading this story, for the additional hits and for the new subscriptions! I thank kiikii22, Thiliapetiolaris, Ventus Princeps, morgan., piglett, randy13, TearfulPixie, lauren49ERS, Mon amour pour toi est eternel and Sasunaru N Ichihitsu for the new reviews! You guys are great, thank you for your ideas and your criticism! I hope this story will get better with the help of you!

I still don't have a beta, so if someone is interested, please shout out!


	4. Chapter 4

_**In good and bad times**_

Harry had barely sat foot in the kitchen when Mrs. Weasley bombarded him with all kinds of questions regarding the wedding. His mouth echoed the confusion in his mind, so she apologized for her sudden attack, pressed him down into a chair, put a cup of hot cocoa into his hands and asked one question after another. It was a boring procedure, answering questions after moments of serious thinking about issues he would have never put up with in his spare time, if it wasn't for his own wedding they were talking about. They reached the topic of table decoration when Harry had enough.

"What kind of flowers would you like to go with the decoration?"

"Mrs. Weasley, I seriously don't know! Why don't you choose for me?"

"Oh dear, it's an honour! I thought you'd like lilies, what do you think?"

He immediately thought of the one woman who couldn't participate in all the crucial events of his life but who he missed and wished she could. He knew Mrs. Weasley had her in mind as well when she suggested it. "Don't – uhm – don't they blossom in spring?"

"They do but not when we let them grow magically. Actually, all we need are the seeds and a combination of the Juicing and Germinating potion by the famous herbologist Tilden Toots. I heard about it on WWN. I think we can buy them at the florist-"

"Fantastic," Harry interrupted her before she went on and on. He liked her but she went on his nerves from time to time. He thought to himself whether Malfoy's mother went on Malfoy's nerves, too right then. "But I can't decide this alone. What if we get narcissuses for Malfoy, as well? To be fair?"

"Good idea. But Harry, dear, you're marrying the boy, call him by his given name." She ignored Harry's annoyed expression and jumped to the next point, Harry decided it would be the last he was willing to hear. "We have to make a guest-list. Who do you want on it, Harry? Of course we can't invite many with the given circumstances but I think we can afford...ten to fifteen maybe?"

Harry considered who he'd like to have at his wedding while he emptied his cup of cocoa in three gulps, it burned down his throat but the heat was soothing. All of his friends of course, but who were his friends? Nowadays everyone called themselves Harry Potter's friends. He needed the loyal friends, friends who stood by his side in good and bad times, who backed him up no matter what. He needed friends who would still stand by his side and who wouldn't judge him if he married a boy, and the said boy being Draco Malfoy, Gryffindor House's nemesis, his nemesis.

Besides the obvious Ron and Hermione, he immediately thought of the old D.A.-members, Neville and Luna, these two proved their loyalty on more than one occasion and Harry loved them for that. Ginny and the rest of the Weasley's would be there, whether he wanted it or not. They were the most loyal family he knew, he thought of them as his family, but he was still awkward with Ginny. As awkward as he was with Dean at least, his Gryffindor fellow who he knew wanted to secretly get back together with Ginny, that's why he didn't want Dean there. And since Dean was best friends with Seamus, his former Irish class mate who didn't believe him during fifth year, he didn't think he would invite Seamus either. The Patil twins maybe, but otherwise, he was neither that close to them. Sure, they were in the D.A., too, and Harry went on a date with Parvati at the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament, but their loyalty was shaky in Harry's opinion, she and her sister Padma left him and Ron that one night just because they didn't want to dance. Besides, Harry needed to invite the friends who were willing to put themselves at danger when coming to his wedding, the whole marriage was a risk and he knew the Patil twins' parents would never allow them to go on a wedding with half the guests having Death Eater connections, or worse, being former Death Eaters.

So, Harry thought, he needed close and loyal friends, and friends who willingly put themselves at danger for him. He smiled, there were some people like that who came to mind, people he was comfortable enough with to even show his sweaty and stinky self to.

His old Quidditch team.

Not the one from his sixth and last year but the one from his third year, the one he won the Quidditch cup with for the first time and the one he thought of as the best Quidditch team he ever was in. Yes, he'd like that, he would invite his old captain Oliver and the three fantastic chasers Angelina, Katie and Alicia, and of course the commentator Lee Jordan who made every match a thrilling and amusing memory. All of them came to the Battle at Hogwarts and fought by his side. He learned a whole lot about loyalty through his first Quidditch team. Oliver had a great spirit and a lot of passion for the game, he was a strict captain, but he taught Harry how to be equally humble, fair and, most of all, loyal to the team. He had never accepted Harry's resignation to the team that one time, he hadn't even been that angry with Harry, but he backed every one of his team-members up in every situation, Oliver was loyal and he knew he had the best team.

Harry would never forget how his old Quidditch team came to the Battle of Hogwarts and how Oliver helped Neville to carry away the dead bodies of the Creevey brothers. He was still so sorry to the parents he sometimes couldn't sleep at night. Visiting the parents and helping them with housework sometimes eased his mind but he knew he would always feel guilty.

Lee Jordan was more a friend of George and the late Fred, but he never missed to show his loyalty and support to Harry either. How many times had Harry listened to Lee's voice on the radio while he was searching for the Horcruxes in secret? How many times had Lee put himself in such a great danger by openly supporting him and the Order of the Phoenix?

No matter how many times, Harry was grateful for every single one.

He once more thought about other school friends, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, but he wasn't really close to any of them like he was to Gryffindors. And Slytherins were no question, surely Malfoy would take care of them.

He thought about other friends he made during his school years, Victor Krum came to mind and Fleur, but Ron probably wouldn't like having Krum there, and Fleur would accompany Bill anyway. Maybe Fleur would even bring her little sister Gabrielle to the wedding, Harry knew Gabrielle was fond of him since he once saved her life, kind of.

Besides these school friends he would never forget to invite his other best friend, his greatest and longest friend; Hagrid, the half-giant.

"I'd like having my old school friends there; Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Oliver Wood, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. And Hagrid of course. Fleur can invite the Delacours if she'd like to."

Mrs. Weasley noted every name on a parchment roll with the tip of her wand. Harry knew he didn't even have to mention the Order members like McGonagall, Flitwick or Shacklebolt because he knew they would be present for safety anyway. "Oh Harry, that's very nice of you. So that's it?"

"I think so..."

"Fine. Now this list has to be checked with Mrs. Malfoy's when we meet her and we'll have to coordinate the arrangements."

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what did you say? We will meet Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Oh yes, dear. Didn't I tell you? We will meet her and Draco at Diagon Alley to buy some necessities for the wedding. You have to get robes, rings and some other things."

"Oh..." Harry was speechless for a moment, he didn't know he would see Malfoy again so soon. He was irritated, his mind repeated the question why Malfoy hadn't told him while his body screamed he was missing his warmth. Maybe Malfoy didn't know either.

"Are you nervous, Harry?"

"No," he immediately said but Mrs. Weasley just smiled at him.

"Don't be, I will be there, and probably a bunch of Aurors Arthur will send, too."

"But that's not necessary, I'm not scared!"

"Of course you aren't, dear. It's just a formality and we don't want to worry anyone, do we?" She could look scary when she wanted to and Harry had no other option than to agree. This woman killed Bellatrix Lestrange, after all.

"No."

"Good. Now it's time for me to make some other arrangements. Merlin, I have so much to do. I feel like I felt during Bill's wedding, like I'm sending away another son."

They were a touching three seconds, really, and Harry would have thanked her for her efforts, if Hermione didn't enter the kitchen, giving Harry the perfect excuse to stand up and leave before he had to deal with an emotional Mrs. Weasley.

"Hi," he whispered and she smiled genuinely back in her morning greeting. _Help me_, he pleaded with his eyes, making sure his green eyes glistened with tears that were never going to fall.

Of course she saw through and gave him a brown eye roll that said, _oh-honestly-Harry_. He gave up.

"Since you know me well enough, when she comes up with more questions regarding the wedding, please answer them for me. I can't stand this anymore."

She had pity on him and nodded understandingly, "fine."

Mrs. Weasley had enough to do with making breakfast, so she didn't notice him leaving.

Before he left for the stairs, Hermione whispered to him he should wake up Ron, so she had an excuse for Harry, in case Mrs. Weasley asked where he was. He nodded and went with the intention to let Ron sleep for at least another fifteen minutes.

* * *

"And don't forget what I told you, Draco."

"Yes, mother," he answered her on the way to Diagon Alley, he was bored and annoyed because she had already repeated herself twice. "Find out what he likes and buy it, no matter the price."

"Exactly. Wedding gifts are not to be taken lightly. From a pure-blood groom they are even expected, it's tradition. They usually give the most expensive and unique gifts during Courting. You should have seen what your father gave me, witches die for gifts like that!"

"In contrast to what you believe, mother, I heard you say that before. But Potter was raised by muggles, mother. He doesn't even know anything about _Courting_."

"That doesn't matter. People surrounding him do know and people surrounding us. There will be other wizards and witches at the wedding and they will ask or will observe, it will matter to them. Besides, it matters to me. I always wanted the best for the Malfoy bride. Well, I guess the circumstances are a bit different from what I always expected..."

"Oh mother, Potter won't like that title," Draco suppressed the laughter that threatened to escape, showing his mother only his usual smirk while in public, anything else would be frowned upon and wasn't proper behaviour in her opinion, she had taught him.

"You mustn't tell him that I called him that. Draco, I forbid you to. Draco?"

Draco's attention went somewhere else. "Someone is following us under a Disillusionment Charm."

When he looked back at his mother, she smiled a little bit to his surprise. "Good but too slow, Draco. We're being followed since Knockturn Alley. He's one from our side though, it's for our own safety."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to get you through today with drawing as little attention as possible. Oh." Narcissa slowed down her steps and inconspicuously pulled out her wand, alarming Draco.

"Oh?"

"Seems like we have another visitor. Draco, pull your wand out and go in," she pointed with her chin to the next shop in reach. "Look, Harry is already there, go and talk to him while I take care of this," she ordered and looked at a spot in the air where Draco suspected their invisible bodyguard to be standing. She seemed to be communicating with him silently but Draco didn't stay to observe, he did what his mother told him. It was a Slytherin characteristic, following orders without questioning. Were he a Gryffindor, he would have stayed out of protest, or bravery, like they used to call the stupidity behind the action. A Gryffindor would have been slow enough to stand outside and get into danger. As a former Slytherin he knew Narcissa was a witch who could take care of herself, he knew he would only be a hindrance to his mother and make her take care of him before she could take care of herself. So, like the former Slytherin he was, Draco knew he should rescue his own skin first, in order that his mother could be egoistic, too.

"Malfoy?"

Draco turned his eyes away from the shop's window and looked at Potter, noticing Mrs. Weasley there, as well.

"Hey, Malfoy bride," he smirked at the look of Potter's lips turning upside down.

"Very funny, _Potter_ _bride_."

"Shut up!"

"Come and try your white dress on while I'm fitting the wizard robes."

"Just shut up!" Draco came forward with the intention to either hex those lips closed or put his palm on that rude mouth but Potter wrestled his hand away, their engagement rings thrumming against each other and reminding both of what happened in the morning.

"You started it!"

"Boys, calm down!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted them and Draco's hands dropped to his side, being embarrassedly remembered of her company. "Draco, where is your mother?"

"Don't tell me you came alone," Potter said, somewhat shocked but Draco wasn't sure he read that expression right.

"Of course not, you stupid-" he stopped himself in time before letting the childish 'git' slip, why was being mature in front of Potter so difficult? He started again. "That would have been foolish. What do you take me for? A Gryffindor? She's outside, getting rid of an unwanted follower."

"Oh dear, that has to be one of the ministry's Aurors! I'll have to go out and clarify the misunderstanding, you boys get your robes. And Harry, don't fight!"

"Me? But Mrs. Weasley, he started it!" Potter had a pathetic, childish look on his face when he said it that it made Draco snort, the blue lips worried him though.

Mrs. Weasley was already leaving and didn't see the look, fortunately. She rushed through the door and meanwhile Draco took in the scenery, only realizing then where he sat foot in.

"_Madam Malkin's_?" he asked Potter and turned to him unbelievingly, remembering Harry was standing right there where he had stood during their previous two encounters in the shop. Not very nice memories plagued his mind. The first memory was the one of their first ever meeting, it had been before their first school year at Hogwarts and Potter had barely talked to him while he had given it his all to make him his friend. He had had ignored the filthy muggle clothes the boy had walked in with and he hadn't even known it had been Harry Potter he had been talking to.

The second memory was about their meeting right before the sixth school year and they had almost hexed each other. "Get out, Potter."

Potter looked confused. "What?"

"Let's go to Twilfitt and Tatting's."

"Why?"

"_Why?_ Because I'm not buying here, that's why!"

Various emotions passed on Potter's face, first anger, then confusion and suddenly he nodded knowingly and laughed in a mean way, his emerald green eyes glowing dangerously at him. "You're being ridiculous, this is because of sixth year, right? Because we fought in here?"

"No, it's not," Draco answered and tried avoiding to look at his feet.

"Oh, really? Since when don't you buy here, then?"

"Since..." he didn't know why he couldn't lie, he sighed.

"Sixth year," Potter said with finality. "Is it because Ron and Hermione buy their clothes in here? Do you still think they're a blood traitor and a mud blood?"

"No, I don't," he admitted. He stopped thinking of them as that since a long time, he didn't remember when, but he guessed it was after sixth year. Maybe he didn't ever think of them as that, he just used those insults because they aggravated Harry the most, they were just tools to help him get under Potter's skin. "It has nothing to do with them!" He got angry, too.

"But you implied it then."

"I was angry and actually, my mother did! It's because of you, understand?" He screamed. "Every time I'm in here with you, something goes wrong! Either you're too good to even speak to me or you fight with me! I have a feeling it will neither go well this time!"

Potter opened his mouth and closed it again, staring at him with that stupid, confused expression on his face. When his eyes softened, he answered in a calm voice, "I'm not too good to talk to you, I was a nervous kid and you were being a little, racist brat. And there have to be at least two parties for a fight."

He wanted to argue he hadn't been racist but he calmed himself down, he noticed how Potter tried to reconcile with him. "Does that mean we're not leaving for Twilfitt and Tatting's? Because honestly, Madam Malkin hates my kind..."

"Don't be ridiculous, you bought from here for six years at least. And I don't want to remain in your memories as the one who changed your robe-buying habits."

He puffed air at that. "What do you know about my robe-buying habits? Twilfitt and Tatting's is so much better than this, and nicer," he opened his arms and pointed to the room they were in, looking disgusted at the fabrics and other materials hanging from the shelves in various colours, probably all second-class.

"Come on, Malfoy. Maybe three times will do the jinx."

Potter looked hopefully at him, Draco knew he was trying to hide a grin, and Draco wanted to see it appear on his face. "Whatever."

It did appear then, however shy and not as bright as he hoped it would be. He would have to work on that.

"I wasn't racist back then, by the way. I was being polite and tried to make conversation, but you didn't catch any opportunity I offered you."

"You call that conversation? I barely understood you talking about the wizarding world, coming from a muggle family. You reminded me of my young and horrible cousin Dudley who thought I was a freak."

"The wizarding world's mighty Chosen One and leader called a freak by a muggle? That's outrageous!"

"You don't have to act like that..."

"I'm being serious, Potter!"

"Oh. Yeah, Dudley was a big bully back then and made my life as uncomfortable as he could."

"I'm hurt, you compared me to him."

"I'm sorry. But you made my life uncomfortable in Hogwarts, too."

"Sorry," Draco apologised as well. "However, you did the same."

Potter nodded, "Sorry. Guess we're both somewhere to blame." He looked thoughtful and it made Draco curious while he looked around in search for the shopkeeper.

"Where is she?"

"She's in the back room and eating lunch since I told her I'd wait for you."

"All right. Let's get this over with," he politely snipped his fingers, as if to conjure a house-elf but Potter shook his head and went to knock at the back door.

"Madam Malkin?"

A woman in extravagant clothing, probably self-made, opened the door, "oh, has your fiancé finally arrived, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, madam," Potter said and nodded almost shyly to Draco, it amused him immensely.

_Let's see the old hag get a heart-attack_, Draco thought to himself.

"Mr. Potter, I only see Draco Malfoy," she said as she distastefully looked at him, after all he didn't buy at her place anymore and Draco saw that accusing 'traitor' glare in her eyes. "By the way, what are _you_ doing here, Mr.?"

"Well, yes," Potter said pathetically.

Just to annoy her, Draco added, "I. Am. His. Fiancé."

He smirked widely when the old hag fanned herself and chewed on her lip. When she glared with wide eyes from Harry to him, back and whispered to him, "are you sure," Draco wanted to laugh or punch her in the face, all muggle-style.

"Can we choose the robes now?" Potter decided to change the subject to the important part, since he wasn't going to get any warmer wasting time in that shop. He and Draco had better things to do than this. Draco still had to think about the gifts.

Madam Malkin looked like a Confundus had hit her too hard, then she suddenly said, "out, out of my shop. Get out!" She directed that at Draco and shoved him hard before they even knew what was going on. But Draco knew then what was going on, he had predicted this kind of behaviour. Potter made his way between them and Madam Malkin stopped her hands for a moment. "I'm sorry that we have to part this way, Mr. Potter, but this is unacceptable!"

"With all due respect, but who are you to judge that, Madam Malkin?" Potter countered.

"This-I-I can't support this-this uneven, _disgusting_ coupling with robes from _my_ shop, a Death Eater and our War Hero? No! Absolutely no!"

Draco didn't know what to say. He was deeply hurt, and worst, he could have avoided this, if only Potter hadn't been that stubborn. With effort he eased his face muscles and turned the hurt features into a practised coldness, sending it directly to Madam Malkin before he made his way out. At the door he could still hear Potter's meaningless complains which made Draco shake his head.

"For me you are the only disgusting person right now. Draco and I abandoned a _normal_, _typical_ and _peaceful_ life with wives and heirs, just so people like _you_ could live in peace! I sacrificed _my whole life_ for this stupid war and Draco did the same in agreeing to this truce. Is that your way to thank us?"

Potter obviously didn't wait for her answer because just a moment later he felt Potter beside him, joining him out of the door while Madam Malkin shouted something after them in a stutter. "You will hear about our complain of how you treat customers through a Ministry-owl," Potter bothered to say over his shoulder, then he smashed the door close with a flicker of his wand.

"I told you she didn't like my kind! I told you this would happen," Malfoy hissed between his teeth and led Harry on the way to Twilfitt and Tatting's.

Potter ran to keep up with him and Draco felt him hook his arm in his elbow, pressing into his side in a gesture people would call a public show of affection. Draco knew this wasn't it, though. "Would you stop _doing_ that?"

"See, I'm sorry, you had to go through that, Malfoy. Okay?"

"Not okay, we could have avoided that if you had listened to me!"

"I know and I'm sorry!"

"Good, now take your arm back."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because people who bother to see should know I stand to my decision and the truce, and that I'm not ashamed of it."

"So this is just a public stunt?" Draco looked from their joined arms to his eyes and saw Potter was a bit nervous.

"Yes. That and I'm cold. This feels so much better." He grinned shyly and uncertain, Draco couldn't help but feel a bit sorry, as well.

Instead of commenting on Potter's statement, he pulled him through another alley with the force of his arm. "This way."

Twilfitt and Tatting's seemed just half as big as Madam Malkin's from the outside but it was four times as spacious from the inside. It was a well known fact by the pure-bloods but not among the rest of the wizarding world, maybe that was why it wasn't as famous as Madam Malkin's. The pure-bloods enjoyed feeling superior and having their well kept secrets after all.

The door was spelled to open when customers stood in front of it, much better, than dirtying one's hands, Draco thought. He was just getting accustomed to Potter's arm.

Once they stepped in they were immediately welcomed by the shop owners, Mr. Twilfitt and Mr. Tatting.

He saw Potter watching every corner of the shop with fascination and leaving his side when the two men approached them to observe the fabrics.

"Oh, look who we have here," said the first one with a wide smile.

"Draco, darling! Kiss, kiss," said the second in a high voice while bending down to Draco and kissing the air by his right and left cheek. Draco was already used to their feminine and pompous behaviour, he let it happen.

Mr. Twilfitt air-kissed him, too before he introduced Potter to them. "That there is my fiancé, Harry Potter." The two fanned themselves all of a sudden.

"Oh my goodness, I think I'm going to faint!"

"Draco, you should have warned us! I think I'm going to piss myself!"

Draco smirked, he loved the drama they always put up. "Very funny. We would like to buy our wedding robes here."

"Heaven's sake, Merlin! Draco, you should have told us, you swing the other way, too!"

"Yes, you didn't even give us a chance! But Potter isn't a bad catch either, huh?" Mr. Tatting's winked at him and Draco smirked again.

"If _I_ had known Potter swings our way-"

"You wouldn't have done anything then, love. Anyway, this is like a dream! We will design the most beautiful, most elegant wedding robes the world has seen, oh Merlin, the publicity we'll get!"

"I'm afraid to tell you that we don't have much time, the wedding is tomorrow, so we need the robes right to go. And the wedding is somewhat private for safety issues. I'm sorry," Draco apologised.

"Aw, it's okay. No problem, we can still say later Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy bought their wedding robes at our shop, can't we?"

"Of course," Draco agreed. "Po-" he wanted to call Potter but he didn't want to show how close or foreign they were with each other. "Uhm, Harry, would you come over for a second?"

Potter turned around with a frown in wonder, but shrugged his shoulders when he caught on. "Sure, _Draco_." He moved to Draco's side and put his arm around Draco's waist as if it was the most natural thing to do. "Hello, I'm Harry Potter." He greeted the owners.

"Of course you are," grinned Mr. Tatting.

"You're most welcome," yelled Mr. Twilfitt and hit his shoulder playfully.

"Uh, Draco," Potter whispered into his ear, his breath a bit freezing against his shell and making him gasp, "could it be that these two are gay?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Way to point the obvious."

"No, I mean seriously, _we_ are not like that-"

"I know what you mean, and now shh," he hushed him. Mr. Twilfitt and Tatting were starting to make goo-goo eyes at them and it was unnerving. He saw Potter nod in his peripheral vision and smiled politely at the men in front of them.

"Would you like to choose the fabrics now?" Mr. Tatting offered.

"Yes please," he said.

"Thank you," Potter added.

Mr. Twilfitt vanished straight to a corner with the finer fabrics just to reappear with about twenty pieces of bewitched material that floated in the air behind him. "What colours, what materials and what designs would you like," he asked the usual standards.

Draco touched all the pieces, one after another, sensing the texture and observing how the light played on the colours. "Too soft, too heavy, too dark, Merlin, _my eyes_, too hard and filthy. Too much lace." The men looked apologetic and Potter sighed, Draco knew he was getting impatient, so he finally made a choice. "I like this one," he caressed a dark green and satin fabric that reflected the light like water. It looked quite acceptable, actually _very_ acceptable when he gave it a thought.

"I like it, too!" Potter gave his opinion. Draco didn't know if he should take him seriously.

"It's green, _Harry_. Green is a Slytherin colour."

"And I thought it was my speciality to state the obvious. Contrary to what you believe, I like green. And someone once said green clothes match my eyes, which are also green, if you haven't noticed."

"How could I not notice that," he shouted and instantly regretted it. His face felt very warm and he forced his blood to rush back. But what was that? Was that an awkward smirk on Potter's lips? "Whatever, take it. I'll take something else."

Potter yet looked sad somehow, and embarrassed. "We... could wear the same thing, you know?"

Draco's lips twitched up, "how utterly romantic and disgustingly Hufflepuff of you."

Potter looked almost healthy with that flush across his cheeks. "Forget I ever said it."

"Aw, you're hurting his feelings!" Mr. Twilfitt cooed.

"Bad Draco," Mr. Tatting added and hit him in that playful way.

With a grin on his lips he leaned into Potter's side and whispered. "I was just joking, Potter."

Then he leaned out and turned to the tailors. "We will both take this one."

The two men cheered, separated the material from the others and let it hover in the air while Mr. Twilfitt spelled everything else back to a shelf. A moment later Mr. Tatting spelled twenty new materials to Draco's side, letting him investigate them.

"We will work with two materials, these will accentuate the already chosen one decoratively," he explained.

Two fabrics caught Draco's eyes. One silky grey one and one satin beige one. Both felt exclusive on his fingers and both reflected the light uniquely. He suspected the grey one had unicorn hair in it but he couldn't make out what that beige one was really made from, it shimmered almost golden, maybe there was even gold in it, both were with certainty extremely expensive. Not that it mattered. He hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know which one."

He felt Potter's elbow bump him when he came closer to inspect with Draco. "Looks good." Draco stared at him, Potter stared back and then to the materials.

"What do you think?" Draco asked for his opinion directly. Maybe it would make a difference. "Which one? I think the grey suits my eyes a little bit more."

Potter came impossibly closer, staring daggers into his eyes and Draco's heart nearly skipped a beat. What was he doing there? He must have changed his mind since he suddenly started to run his fingers through Draco's hair, first de-arranging, then rearranging it to its perfect shape.

"Your eyes are really grey."

"Oh really?" Draco scowled, how couldn't Potter have noticed, the ignorant and stupid-

"But the golden one suits your hair more."

So it did make a difference. He cleared his throat and avoided Potter's eyes for the rest of the process. "The golden one it will be then."

"Very well," said Mr. Tatting, separating the chosen piece from the rest which he spelled back to the shelf. He then pointed to the two little stools, "I think you know what to do, gentlemen."

They nodded and stepped each on one of them. Mr. Tatting took Draco's measures and Mr. Twilfitt Potter's with bewitched tape.

"Uhm... so, did your mother find out?" Potter whispered, trying to talk about the morning without being too obvious and the other men understanding.

"What do you think?" Draco snorted.

"I hope not and I think I made it just in time."

"You're right there but I think she knows."

When Potter looked at him in horror, he went on.

"No, she didn't see you but she suspects something, she definitely searched for some signs when I let her in. The ring you wear was once hers, after all. She knows how it works and I think she used Legilimens on me to find out why nobody was there but me."

"Oooh, you two did something dirty, didn't you?" Mr. Twilfitt guessed and Mr. Tatting chuckled.

Potter was more petrified about his explanation to bother what they were talking about. "She uses Legilimens on her own son?"

"Welcome to my life, Potter. Not all the time, but she has her moments of curiosity. Not that I'm not capable of building a stable Occlumency shield, by the way," he smirked, proud of himself.

He didn't know why but Potter went red at that. He'd have to find out another time. "So how did you send me back to the Burrow," he was asked while his arms were measured.

"I have no idea, I thought you did it with your ring."

"Nope, this ring only sends me in one direction. It had to be the Potter ring then."

"How do you come to that conclusion?" he asked although he knew it had to be the truth.

"I put it on your finger, you made your wish and tada, I'm in the Burrow. Practical thing, these rings."

Afterwards they presented Potter and him a huge catalogue about designs they could choose from.

Harry was fine with everything but the older fashioned robes like Ron wore them at the Yule Ball. Draco found nothing presentable. They had agreed to wear similar designs though.

In the end, Draco explained word for word what he had in mind. It had to be broad around the shoulders and tight around the waist but the material should flow wider out anywhere below. The robe had to have clasps on the side and a wide neckline, so one could see the vest of the same material beneath the robe. Underneath they would wear trousers of the same fabric. The arms should be modernly tight and fashionably body-fit, just wide and long enough so one could hide a wand inside. All in all, it should be royally in Draco's opinion.

Mr. Twilfitt and Mr. Tatting spent more than a little time on the design and they spelled a vision of a lot of possible end-products into the air till Draco approved of one design being up to his standards. Potter found it highly amusing, judging the stupid chuckles he gave here and there, which annoyed Draco to no end.

Fascinated they observed how Mr. Tatting charmed the decorative golden fabric onto the green one in magical patterns, circles, arabesque-lines and Runes.

"What are those?" Potter pointed the signs out and asked.

"Wedding blessings," Draco explained.

Mr. Twilfitt was the next one to work with the fabrics, he cut the designs out without destroying the patterns and signs.

They tried on the raw-versions and each tailor fit the pieces to Draco's and Potter's individual bodies.

"I think we still have outdone ourselves," Mr. Tatting noted.

"You both look amazing, it will be a glorious wedding," Mr. Twilfitt stated.

They thanked them and were both satisfied with the look of their robes when they paid and left the shop with more spoken blessings.

"That's how you should be treated," Draco said proudly.

"I admit, they were very nice. But the kissing went too far."

So Potter had seen that. "Jealous, Potter?"

"You wish."

"Let's go to the jewellery shop nearby," he said and grinned all the way with old memories in his mind.

They asked themselves where the adults were when they didn't see any of them in the vicinity till Potter suggested they'd search for them later.

"So what are we doing here?"

"Getting the rings, of course."

"Ah, yes."

The seller was a woman with grey hair, she didn't ask questions and they were grateful, they could act as if they bought the rings for two different people and not for themselves if she decided to ask.

"How about I choose your ring and you choose mine?" Draco murmured.

"All right. But let's decide on the material beforehand at least."

"Gold?"

"Okay."

Draco chose a thick golden ring with a deep-green emerald square on top of it, the reason was obvious.

He turned it to Potter, who grinned and presented him a slim golden ring carrying a fat diamond upon it.

"Why did you choose a diamond?"

"The same reason why you chose an emerald for me. It reminded me of your sparkling grey eyes."

His lips lifted into a smile. "Is this flirting? Are you flirting with me, Potter?"

"Of course not," he said louder, so the strange looking woman could hear that, too in case she heard the rest as well. "Hey, let's get an engraving, as well," he murmured to Draco who raised his eyebrows in return. "Well, I already thought of one, that's why."

He quickly borrowed a feather and a little scroll of parchment from the seller and wrote it down.

"I'll show it to you when you have thought of one, too."

Draco gave it a thought, why not. A moment later he had an idea, it was profoundly embarrassing, though. "Okay, I got it."

"Really?" he nodded to a disbelieving Potter till he was willing to let Draco have a look at the parchment in his hands.

"_My_ _next great adventure starts with you – H.P._" he read aloud. "Explain, Potter."

"Someone once said to me 'death is nothing but the next great adventure'."

He got very stiff. "So you think this wedding is death to you."

"No, no, no!" Potter shook his head, and he panicked. "I'm sorry, I can't express my thought behind that properly. I think of death as nothing but the next chapter in the story of my life, it's actually the start to the last chapter. But I'm not afraid of it, and someone once advised me not to be, he said it was the next great adventure. Marriage is another chapter in life. I take it, and I hope it will be another great adventure," then he stepped forward and murmured, "with you."

Draco's heart pumped painfully against his ribs that moment, making him breathe deeper in.

"So what was your thought of engraving?" Potter asked him, taking him out of his bedazzled state.

He took the feather and wrote it down under Potter's line. Potter took the parchment when he was done and read.

"_I don't do it now but I will. Deeply and only you – D.M.? _You will...do me?"

Blood crept up his neck, threatening to flood his cheeks. "For Merlin's sake, Potter! Perverted much? I wasn't thinking about _that_!"

"What were you trying to say to me? You will do what?"

He cleared his throat. "Love." Potter was the one to blush and start to cough. "I was talking about love. It's a promise that I will try. And that I will stay loyal."

Potter's eyes softened immensely, he advanced in a motion that looked like he was about to hug Draco but Draco stopped him. "Not here."

"You know I would if I could," Potter whispered back and Draco nodded.

They bought the two rings after the seller spelled the engravings into the gold. She even told them the spell and showed them the hand-motion in case they decided to change the sentences cut into the metal.

"Do you think I can change your engraving and you mine even from great distances?"

"We can ask Hermione to make a connection between the rings, so you can change your engraving and it will appear on mine, too, in a sort of communication. We once did this with Galleons."

"Clever."

"What now? We have robes, we have rings."

"My mother is firmly convinced that I should buy you courting gifts in good old pure-blood tradition."

"You don't have to."

"She'll have my head if I don't. Make it easy for me and tell me what you want, Potter."

"I don't want anything."

"Come on, there has to be _something_, you can buy me something, too, if it makes you feel better."

"Hmm..."

They were slowly reaching Diagon Alley again, having just left Knockturn Alley. Draco suspected Potter wasn't even aware of it. When they passed the entrance to the Magical Menagerie, Draco stopped and turned back. An idea struck him, he knew Potter's owl was killed.

"Potter, do you want a new pet?"

He saw a swirl of hurt in those green eyes for a moment, surely remembering his snowy owl, now dead.

"Nothing can compare to Hedwig, but I kind of need a new owl. I wanted to get one myself one day, but I always postponed it."

"Great, then let's go in. But I'm sorry about Hedwig."

"Thanks," he nodded.

Various animals met them in cages with their different colours, different shapes and different smells. Some of them Draco remembered from their Care of Magical Creatures lessons but some of them even Draco had never seen or heard of. One peculiar example was the huge white-blue bird Potter was getting friendly with. How did he do that so easily, he wondered.

"What _is_ that beast?"

"That's not a beast, it's a thunderbird," said the shopkeeper, a lady in her thirties who appeared out of nowhere. "One of the rarest animals on this earth. Newly imported and it cost a fortune."

"Can it deliver letters like owls?"

"Deliver letters?" the shopkeeper laughed. "Of course it can! And not only that. It can feed a whole city with electricity."

Draco tried to remember what that meant, he had heard that word before, it was something muggle, he was sure.

"We'll take it."

"Don't you want to know how much, first? I expect a thousand Galleons."

"You're crazy, lady!" Potter said, "Malfoy, she's crazy, let's go."

"Relax, Potter. I'm paying for it."

Potter watched him with his jaw dropped. Draco smiled reassuringly and pulled a bag of Galleons out of his robes. He knew the content was two thousand, so he divided the Galleons with a counting spell, creating two bags. One he put back into a pocket of his robes and the other he handed the shopkeeper.

"Thank you very much," she said with a wide grin. "Always a pleasure to have such generous and nice customers."

"A good day to you." Draco replied to her. "Potter take your bird and let's go."

"Are you serious?" Potter seemed to be yet dazed.

"Yes!"

"Wow. I mean, thank you," he mumbled. "I have never gotten such an expensive gift, I mean, wow."

Draco smirked when he left for the door and Potter remained to ask the shopkeeper if his new bird had a name.

"No, I don't know if it had one. You can rename it, but I know it's female" he heard her say.

When they were out of the Magical Menagerie, Potter pulled him into a hidden passage and rested his the large cage on the ground to hug him tightly. "Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you," he repeated against his neck, making his eyes flutter.

A violent cry from the distance made them jump apart. "Mother," Draco let out, scared.

"Mrs. Weasley," Potter said in the same moment while reaching out for the cage. They ran with fear in their bones.

* * *

Thanks to all the lovely readers for the hits and subscriptions, and thanks to the following people for the reviews on the last chapter: TearfullPixie, kiikii22, AcadianProud, watergoddeskasey, Cazzylove, Sasunaru N Itchihitsu, MDarkspIrIt, BlackScarredArrow, Paddy Gurl and RRW. You guys give me the spirit to continue!

/Verdandy


	5. Chapter 5

_**In good and bad times**_

The scene at Diagon Alley was chaotic and blurry, the wind seemed to turn directions several times, the surroundings were darkening and the air was freezing, it seemed as if happiness was being sucked right out of their pores.

Harry didn't hesitate long to look at the sky, Dementors were circling around them in a whirlpool of clouds. Malfoy winced and when Harry paid him attention he was already running to his mother. Blood was gushing out of a wound on her left cheek while she stood protectively in front of an unconscious body. His knees buckled when he realized it was Mrs. Weasley, and a Dementor was about to attack her.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" he screamed but nothing happened. His damn wand still wasn't working, he cursed and ran to Malfoy. "Malfoy, cast a Patronus, quick!"

Malfoy looked at him with fear, his words stumbling out. "I... I can't-"

"WHY?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW!"

_Shit, shit, shit,_ he thought. "THEN GIVE ME YOUR WAND!"

Malfoy hesitated and looked suspicious, they were under attack and he didn't trust to give his only weapon to Harry then.

Harry sidestepped curses that were flying at him effortlessly but he was close to a break-down. "Draco...please, I- I'll give you mine in return," he quickly offered and either that did it or the softly spoken surname because Malfoy nodded and they exchanged wands.

"_Expecto Patronum!" _he screamed again and finally a silver stag made its way out of Malfoy's wand, running directly at the figure above Mrs. Weasley and ramming it.

His breath was knocked out of his lungs with the energy loss he felt as he performed the magic. Still, he ran to her while he realized Malfoy and his mother were duelling not one but two Death Eaters. Another pair of them in black cloaks and the skull masks were fighting three men in Auror robes. Besides them the alley seemed to be completely empty, as if it had been vacated of shopkeepers and customers just for this purpose. They were probably all hiding behind the protection of their doors. He could only hope someone alarmed the Ministry at least.

Cries of the past ringing in his ears told him the Dementors were getting closer and setting in for the kill, a mass-attack. The moment was only protracted by a competition of who kissed him first.

He knew how great of a risk it was, but he couldn't stand there and do nothing. His presence would be useless otherwise, everyone else was busy duelling and defending their lives. So he pointed the wand above his head and cried the charm with the last resources of magic in him. He didn't even know if it was a happy memory or a dream for the future he concentrated his mind on. It involved a purple-haired Teddy, a sweet kiss and the content feeling of having a family of his own. He was happy.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

A blast of silver erupted from Malfoy's wand, enlightening the sky blindingly. The dark creatures dissolved in mid-air as the silver touched them. It was the last thing Harry saw before the bird-cage fell off his one hand, the wand the other, and he collapsed.

* * *

Just for one tiny and excruciating moment Draco thought it was his mother lying there unconsciously on the floor of the dirty alley. After a second glance he knew it wasn't, of course it wasn't her, she stood bravely, duelling two Death-Eaters at once and protecting the body behind her. She was scared, Draco knew she was, Slytherins usually were, only Gryffindors were fearless, Draco thought.

Suddenly she made a sharp turn to dodge a red glowing curse and Draco could see her left cheek, there was so much blood. He winced at the sight and ran to her without a second look at Potter. Immediately the two Death Eaters she was duelling with started to attack him, too. But he was faster and surprised the first one with a curse that knocked him from his feet and made his wand fly away some feet. Before he could retract it or the other Death Eater could help him, his mother distracted him by casting a nasty dark curse that made the air glow yellow and stink of sulphur. Draco never had seen it be performed but he read about it once because Snape made them brew the anti-dote in Potions. It was the Cholera Curse. With an immediate and certain move the man clutched his belly, one could see on his face how his intestines had turned and growled.

Draco didn't pay him more attention because Dementors were closing in and one was attacking the Weasley-mother.

"Malfoy, cast a Patronus, quick!"

He stood stock-still, how could Potter demand that of him? He had never learned it. Why didn't he cast one himself? Oh right, he had problems with his wand and magic, the reason why they were actually marrying in the first place. Now it was between admitting that he couldn't cast the charm and embarrassing himself or risking that the Weasley-mother died and probably everyone else after that. There was an obvious answer to that.

"I... I can't-"

"WHY?" Why was Potter yelling at him? It wasn't his fault!

"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW!"

"THEN GIVE ME YOUR WAND!"

_The bloody hell I will,_ he thought. Potter seriously couldn't expect that, giving him his only tool of defence in a battle!

But then Potter did something unexpected, he sighed and his deep-green eyes were shining and he pleaded, "Draco...please, I- I'll give you mine in return," and Draco couldn't say no. He gave him a nod, and offered his wand together with his trust, just like that, as if the soft and perfect pronunciation of his given name was the best cast Imperius ever.

Potter pressed his own wand in his numb hand before he shouted "_Expecto Patronum," _and conjured a silver stag that knocked the Dementor away from the unconscious body. The next thing Draco knew was a blue-ish Curse flying past his ear. He turned and saw his mother holding her wand arm in pain.

"You fucking bastard! _Crucio,_" he screamed at the Death-Eater with Potter's wand.

The Death-Eater, however, fell to the floor, so the badly cast curse missed him by an inch. He took a good grip of the second Death-Eater on the floor and apparated away. Before Draco could hear the pop of Apparition some words in a familiar voice were carried over. "You will pay for this, Narcissa. You, too, blood-traitor."

Before his memory could place a picture of the face to that voice or before he could be shocked by that insult, that insult that placed him on the same low as the red-heads, he heard another scream of Potter. "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

It was as if a bomb was detonating, so deafening was the noise from the annihilation of the silver Patronus with the black bodies of the Dementors, and so blinding that Draco had to close his eyes. When he opened them again, there was not one single Dementor anymore. Never before had he witnessed the complete destruction of the creatures. At the end of his third year he had heard of Potter's power to chase away one hundred of them but this was different, the air was still crackling with the magic. And Potter, he was lying not too far away from the Weasley-mother, just as unconscious.

_Shit. Stupid Potter! Why does he always have to get himself into hospital-ripe situations_! _Just like in school. _The difference: he minded now. For the first time Draco felt actually bad he was responsible for one or two, or more of Potter's Hospital Wing visits.

He turned to his mother with worried eyes. "I can handle it, look for your fiancé," she said while clutching her arm to her chest, probably broken. Still, he nodded and ran to Potter's form.

"I knew yourselfless heroic act will be the death of you one day! Never thought I'd say this but I don't like the idea! You're _not_ going to die under my scrutiny! I swear, Potter, if you die on me now I'll not only crush your nose this time, I'll beat you up till your skin takes the colour of your eyes, like a barbaric muggle! Just so the pain follows you into the after-life!" He threatened, although he didn't mean one word. He was just scared, even though he didn't know why.

His head was starting to throb, the thunder-bird was screeching loudly from the cage that was rolling on the floor and to make matters worse, he heard about ten pops of new Apparitions. Shouts of "_stupor!_" froze the Death-Eaters the present Aurors were duelling with a distance away and let him know it was back-up.

"Molly," a man cried and ran to the body his mother was protecting, it was the Weasley-father.

Shacklebolt's face came into his vision and unclasped his hands from Potter's body, he didn't even realize when he had started to hold onto him that strong. "It's okay, boy, I will take care of him."

"No," he started to protest and shook his head fervently, his vision was blurring and he hated it, but no matter what, he had to make sure Potter was waking up again.

Shacklebolt sighed, "alright, take my hand, we'll be apparating to St. Mungo's." He didn't even wonder why it was the Minister himself to move Potter to St. Mungo's.

"What are you talking about, Kingsley? As far as we know it he could have been the one knocking him off," he heard an Auror protest and he never wanted to smash one's face in more than then.

"_You_ don't know what you're talking about, Proudfoot. Mr. Draco Malfoy is Harry's fiancé."

The jerk called Proudfoot dared to gape at him like a buffoon. He gave him his own practised death-glare back.

"Are you ready, Draco?" Kingsley asked him as if he would break any moment.

"Just a second, I have to make sure my mother is all right," he said and ran to her. Her cheek was still bleeding as he took her face and turned it to look at the wound.

"Was it _Sectum Sempra_?" he asked and she understood what he meant immediately.

"No, only the S_ectum Curse_."

He nodded, the Healing Charm he had on his tongue would still do it. "_Vulnera Sanentur,_" he spoke softly. He had to say it only once and the wound healed in a clean cut till the cut disappeared, as well. It was the Charm Snape had used on him to heal the damage Potter had done to his chest. "Let the Auror's give you some dittany." He told her and saw the arm, now turned into a shade of blue. "And your arm has to be healed."

"I can do that," the close-by Weasley-father said, his wife in his arms. "She is fine, just sleeping," he said as he saw Draco looking at her. "Let me have a look."

"I don't think that's a good idea," his mother protested.

"Don't be ridiculous, _episkey!_" he shouted with his wand at her arm and his mother winced loudly.

The blue colour was gone. She turned and bent it, she observed her arm in wonder but it seemed to be healed. "Thank you," she said, a bit dazed.

"I'll see you at St. Mungo's, mother. They're taking Harry there."

She kissed his head and nodded before he ran back to Shacklebolt.

At the hospital he couldn't do much besides watch how three Healers moved Harry to a room and worked on him while they gave him narrow-eyed glances. In the waiting room he told his version of what had happened to Shacklebolt before the Minister was joined by two other Aurors who Draco had seen at the scene. The first one was one of the duellers and the second was Proudfoot. They told the Minister they had to interrogate him separately for the report and to make his statement official but no matter how much he or the Minister protested they still took him to another room. They transfigured it into a booth with a table and two chairs, he sat on one, the duel-Auror on the other in front of him and Proudfoot stalked around them back and forth. Only Proudfoot made the questions and they were a repetition of about ten questions. Draco patiently gave the answers, but it went on his nerves that he had to repeat the same story for about three hours. Proudfoot wasn't even satisfied when the duel-Auror, Williamson was his name as Draco had caught it, had backed Draco's story up with his own version. Draco didn't like Proudfoot.

"Sir, how often do I have to repeat myself? Harry Potter was sick prior to the battle and he cast the most powerful Patronus Charm the world has seen, he has lost a lot of his magic and I'd very much like to check whether my fiancé is still alive!"

"_I'd very much like to check whether my fiancé is still alive,_" Proudfoot copied him in a whinier voice that wasn't anything like his own. "You and I both know you don't give a shit about Harry Potter, Malfoy. You're just lucky you can get away from Azkaban with the Hero by your side, Death Eater."

Draco clenched his fists, his knuckles turning into a dangerous white. "I. Am. Not. A. Death Eater." _So this is what it's about,_ he finally concluded.

"That's enough, Proudfoot!" Williamson stood up and turned to the smirking Auror. "Don't go too far," he warned him before he turned to Draco. "You can exit, Mr. Malfoy. We have the necessary information, thank you."

Draco didn't have to hear that twice, he vanished before he could cast a curse at Proudfoot that would surely get him into big trouble.

His mother was waiting at Harry's door along with the rest of the Weasleys, she took him instantly into her arms, ignoring the public display of their strong family bond.

"Did they give you dittany? Did they ask you questions?" he asked.

"Yes and yes, but not for three hours, just for one," she said.

"What did you tell them?"

"The names of the Death Eaters I recognized."

"Who?" he glared at her in shock, although he had a suspicion before she said the names.

"Your uncle Rodolphus and his brother Rabastan." The Weasleys gasped and he almost did it, too. That was the voice he had heard, it was uncle Rodolphus's voice, even when he hated to refer to him as uncle, then and now. He was as crazy as Bellatrix and Draco didn't wonder why they had married each other.

"I guess he wanted to take revenge for what mom did to his wife," the Weasley-King said. _No really? _Draco wanted to say and had done it, almost. "Ow!"

"What's wrong?" Draco turned to look who spoke, it was Granger asking the Weasley-King.

"The stupid thunder-bird gave me a shock," he said appalled. Draco looked at his hand and saw him holding the cage. _Good bird, _he suppressed a smirk.

At that point he remembered how he had left all of their bought things at the alley. He looked at his mother and she immediately understood what he wanted to say.

"Don't you worry, I got everything," she showed him the bags of clothes they had bought, some extras she obviously had bought, and pressed his abandoned wand into his hand.

"Are you all right, Draco?" Granger asked him worriedly. It was weird, she never had looked like that at him. He nodded at her and she smiled sympathetically, he hated that look and wanted to hide.

"How is Mrs. Weasley?" he asked politely, he actually wanted to first ask how Potter was but he held it in patiently, surely they wouldn't wait here like this if he was dying.

"She's resting. She lost quite a bit of blood from a cut on her leg, but thanks to your mom, it healed." He looked back to his mother and she was smiling at him.

"Weren't it for Draco I wouldn't have known the Healing Charm," she said.

"Well, thank you, Draco," suddenly Mr. Weasley was standing in front of him and shaking his hand.

"It was nothing," he said uncomfortably. "Um, is she still unconscious?"

"The Dementor worked on her pretty badly but nothing what a good bar of chocolate can't heal," he said enthusiastically and gave another one of those sympathetic smiles he didn't like.

"How is Potter?" It burst from his mouth, he couldn't hold it any longer, his curiousness had reached its limit.

All the faces turned into sad grimaces abruptly. _He wasn't dying, was he?_

"The healers worked more than two hours to get him into a stable condition. They said he lost almost all of his magic, so we all voluntarily offered to feed him some of our own," Granger said.

"_Excuse me_?"

"For Harry any time," the Weasley-King said proudly, Draco rolled his eyes at him.

"It's okay, Draco, the Healers said it will replenish like blood with the time," his mother added.

"Yes, but not all of us were able to feed him, his body doesn't take it well," the youngest Weasley said sadly. _Well, I'm glad he didn't take any of yours, Ms. Ex. _"Ow! This stupid bird! I don't like it!"

The Weasley-King had passed the cage to her and now she had gotten a shock. _Very good birdo. S_he pressed the cage into Granger's arms instead, giving the lovely bird such unfitting detesting looks.

"Can- can I see him?"

"Go in, Draco, I'm sure Harry will be glad to know you visited him," Mr. Weasley said. It was awkward to hear that but Draco went in nonetheless. He hated how all the eyes followed him, it was a relief when he closed the door in their faces.

The room looked pretty spartan, there was a stool for visitors next to the bed and Draco pulled it out to sit on it. Everything was a clean white, only Potter's hair stood out in contrast with its unruly blackness. Even his skin was such a pale and sick colour on the white linen mattress. His ugly spectacles were crooked on his nose and there was a Bubble Charm under the wings, feeding him pure oxygen, so he couldn't smell the disgusting hospital stench that came under Draco's nose.

It was frightening to see the Boy-Who-Lived-and-Lived in such a vulnerable state. It was frightening that he cared about him. Draco wasn't supposed to care about him, he was only supposed to care about his mother and his father. He never had anyone besides his parents, his family to care about in such a degree. And all of a sudden, Potter was part of it. How was he supposed to survive, caring and worrying about this extra person? Potter was supposed to worry about him and take care of him, not the other way around! He wasn't Gryffindor enough to carry such a weight on his shoulders!

Yet, the unruly strands of hair called out to be caressed by him, the spectacles called out to be put away and the ruff hands called out to be held by his own. The blue lips called out to be warmed by his- _no, no, no! Bloody hell, what am I thinking? Otherwise, it won't be bad to get a feeling of the texture. Just one little touch. It's not like anybody will see us... Heck, it's not even like _he_ will see __me!_

So his hand moved, hesitantly and very slowly to the hair, he was sure it would feel unnaturally soft and he wasn't wrong. As soon as the spectacles were put aside though, followed by his own wand because he still had Potter's, a Healer came in. "Mr. Malfoy," a woman looking a little bit like Madam Pomfrey noticed him.

He sat back on the stool while she monitored his body with her wand. "Your presents seems to do him good. His heart frequency is a lot better," the Healer said.

"Really?" he asked, his eyes glued back to Potter's face.

"Yes, would you like to test whether you can give him magic?"

"I'm sure I can," he said confidently.

Her eyebrows shot up.

"We kind of have a connection," he tried to explain.

"I'm sure you do."

His cheeks warmed and he gave up, not like it was any of her business anyway. "Whatever, what do I have to do?"

* * *

When Harry opened his eyes, he was met with a spacious white ceiling and a familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him this had happened before. He was in a hospital, of course he was, but not the one at Hogwarts, no, this place was new, not that new but he never woke up in this place, it had to be St. Mungo's. The only irritating thing was the warm body pressed into his side and the soft and warm hand holding his own very firmly.

He turned his head to the source. A stunning pair of grey eyes met his. "Hi."

"Hi," he said but he couldn't hear his own voice.

"Don't talk, I can't hear you anyway, you're in a Bubble Charm, it helps you with the breathing," Malfoy said. "If I didn't know it better, Potter, I'd think you enjoy waking up next to me a little too much. No need to fall unconscious for that though. Just another day and it will happen every morning."

_Haha, very funny, _he looked at their connected fingers and saw something glowing between them. He tried to pull his hand away but Malfoy wouldn't let him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm feeding you magic."

"_What? Are you crazy?_"

"Can't hear you," Malfoy said although he knew Malfoy knew what he had said.

"Let me go this instant!" He pulled stronger but he didn't have as much power in his arm as Malfoy had right then.

"Still can't hear you," Malfoy pretended, but he was smirking. "It's your own fault really, casting this gigantic Patronus in your condition? Seriously, Potter I know you are stupid, but that much? Really? You've outdone yourself."

He slowly remembered the battle and instantly started to worry about everyone. Before he could even hope for Malfoy to read his lips, Malfoy spoke.

"As the selfless hero that I know you are, you're probably worrying about everyone. But they're all right, don't worry. Mrs. Weasley was healed, in fact she's able to go back home already. My mother is fine, too. In case you would ever want to know."

"I want to," he said but wasn't sure Malfoy had heard him or not.

"Two Death Eaters were caught and two left. Nobody else is hurt. The two that left were uncle Rodolphus and his brother Rabastan. Isn't that ironic?" He spat, Harry saw him turn his head the other direction. "On one side you're marrying into this family, on the other side you're attacked by the same one."

"No, they aren't Malfoy's. You're not part of them," he said.

Malfoy looked at him, but still, he wasn't sure Malfoy understood what he had said.

"I don't even know if I'm feeding you my magic or your own back that I absorbed through my wand which was certainly channelling yours."

Harry wasn't sure he understood every word Malfoy was drawling.

"But if you are channelling mine, then you seem to like it a lot because I'm starting to get dizzy."

This was definitely worrying for Harry. Malfoy leaned in and observed him closely. Was he actually starring at his lips? No, he couldn't want to-

"Well, your lips aren't blue anymore," he said at last and Harry sighed, so that's all he was doing, seeing if his lips were still _blue_. He wasn't sure of that colour but he was sure his cheeks were now red. Then Malfoy pointed his own wand at their connected hands and whispered, "_finite incantatem!_"

The glowing stopped between their connection and Malfoy pulled at his hand, only Harry wouldn't let go.

He took the hand and spelled with his finger a word on Malfoy's palm. _Stay_.

Harry was embarrassed the moment he was done, it was stupid, he hadn't thought twice and Malfoy would tease him any time now, he knew it.

Only he didn't. Malfoy nodded and squeezed his hand.

He took a sharp breath as relief washed through him.

Malfoy started to drawl again, but Harry felt glad he admitted some of his inner feelings in between the drawling. "For one moment I really thought you were gone. It scared me. I didn't want you to die, just like that time you were in the Manor, or in the Room of Hidden Things, when Crabbe wanted to kill you. Do you know what I said in panic? _I _don't even know what I yelled at you word for word, but it went something along the lines of 'dare to die and I'll beat the shit out of you, so the pain follows you in the after-life,'" he chuckled and Harry had to laugh with him. But even laughing hurt, so he forced himself to calm down.

"I'm serious, though," Malfoy said and it made Harry laugh only harder. _Ow, git._

He tried to listen a little bit longer to that soothing voice but his eye-lids felt so heavy, he was tired and hungry. Finally the sleepiness outweighed and he closed his eyes. He was so close to falling asleep, it would happen any time now. Before it happened, he subconsciously felt his head bending to one side and coming in contact with a warm but hard pillow. The pillow radiated off a comfortable lemon-grass aroma. It was a bit sour, just like every sentence that left Malfoy's lips. He didn't mind, it suited him. He breathed it deeply in before he was gone.

* * *

A/n: Hi! Sorry this comes so late, I had this chapter written a long while ago but I wasn't satisfied with it. I'm very self-critical and have edited it a lot, hope you guys still like it!

I thank the following people for the great reviews on the previous chapter:

-lightnshadows, thank you and your question will be answered!

-Emeralden Rapley, thank you

-BurningXWings, thank you, Sirius-ly lol

-BlackScarredArrow, glad you laughed at that part!

-AFLlover, thank you

-watergoddesskasey, thank you

-Cazzylove, thank you ^_^ lol you use this emoticon a lot, huh?

-Iscarion, I laughed at the 'desasterrific' part, thank you

-Sasunaru N Ichihitsu, thank you so much, your reviews are the most amusing! I'll try to update sooner from now on.

The diligent readers might want to have a little bit of a preview for the next parts: We'll be visiting a wedding, yayyy! There'll be some kissing, yayyyyyyy, there'll be a lot of hectic chaos, yayyy, there'll be some cold feet, awwww, and another attack! Noooooooo!


	6. Chapter 6

_**In good and bad times**_

The second time Harry woke up, it was due to a coldness he had become well acquainted with swallowing him as if he was being stripped of all clothes. Now that he was awake, it was hard to tune out the hushed whispers behind the door to his room, someone must have forgotten to cast the Silencio Charm. He turned his head to the source of voices but the world seemed blurry, so he grabbed blindly for his glasses on the side table, how they landed there was a riddle to him.

"Get out of the way, Malfoy."

"No. Po-Harry needs his rest. He has only been sleeping for an hour now." Malfoy calling him Harry in front of his friends was definitely an improvement. The times he used to call him 'scar-head' or similar endearments seemed to be decades ago.

The hushed voices grew louder.

"Harry has to wake up anyway, we need to get going and he can sleep at the Burrow."

"Ron, this is _not_ the time to start a fight," rang Hermione's voice into the room.

"Why does he have to go to that hole you call a home?"

"Watch your mouth, Ferret-"

"Draco, the same rules apply to you, too!"

"As I was saying before the _Weasel_ interrupted, he can come and stay at the Manor till the wedding."

"No!" Hermione and Ron protested at the same time.

"Hush!"

"Draco darling, groom and er...groom aren't allowed to see each other the day before the wedding."

"Mother!"

"It brings bad luck." Harry heard Narcissa speaking.

"Why can't he stay at aunt Andromeda's instead?"

"Your aunt Andromeda is busy with the wedding preparations and taking care of Teddy, dear. It's for Harry's best to stay with the Weasleys, there will be enough people who will worry about his health."

"As I said, I'll go and wake him up now. So move, Malfoy."

"Make me."

"No need. I'm already awake," Harry called towards the door. He was lucky he could hear his own voice since the Bubble Charm had been removed, rough but loud enough.

Three people simultaneously burst in through the door.

"We are _so_ sorry, Harry! We should have talked lower," said Hermione apologetically, being the first to talk and sending narrow-eyed glances towards Ron and Malfoy.

"Don't look at me. I told you two to be quiet," drawled Malfoy, glaring maliciously back at the non-listeners.

"Hey, Harry," Ron grinned at him, "how are you doing, mate? Gave us quite a shock there!"

Harry attempted to grin back and took Ron's hand as he approached him, squeezing it before letting go. "I'm fine, I feel a lot better."

"On the good hand, heard your epic Patronus made history. You're the first person in a century to have completely destroyed hundreds of Dementors with one Patronus! Hermione checked!"

"I'm sure she did."

"That's right," Hermione added, ignoring Malfoy. "But not a century, the last time this phenomenon was sighted was half a century ago."

"Why am I not surprised," said Malfoy, glancing at him with a jealous snort that made Harry a little embarrassed and lower his lashes. "First Quidditch, then the whole conquering the Dark Lord thing and now this, what's next?"

"It wasn't a great feat," he mumbled.

"_It wasn't a great feat," _mimicked Malfoy. "You were sick when you did it, for heaven's sake! What would you do if you were healthy?"

"Kill a dark wizard, save the world, the usual," answered Ron for him with an amused and proud voice.

"Very funny, Weasel."

"Shut it, you two," Harry warned Ron and Malfoy who looked at him with similarly childish expressions of 'he-started-it-first'.

"The person who cast it was none other than Albus Dumbledore, it was during the duel with Grindelwald," Hermione finished her reciting over the loud voices. It was probably a quote of "A History of Magic", "The Rise and Falls of the Dark Arts" or "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore".

He was getting uncomfortable being compared to the dead greatest Wizard of all-time.

Looking back at Malfoy let him know the mentioning of the name didn't make him feel any better.

"So Harry, are you ready to leave? You'll be Apparating with me and Hermione, you won't even feel anything," Ron promised. "You can sleep again once you're there but mom keeps complaining you didn't eat anything, so she'll probably try to feed you and by the looks of it, I think she's right."

Knowing he was going to shiver, Harry still stood up and threw the blanket away, searching for his shoes beneath the bed.

"Wait, Harry," Hermione stopped him and he fell back to sit on the bed while she swished her wand and suddenly he was wearing thick woollen socks under his most comfortable pair of shoes.

"Thanks," he succeeded to smile a little at her and she returned it brightly.

"You don't have to leave, you know," Malfoy said lowly, somewhat unsure and not looking at him.

"It's okay, Ma...Draco. It doesn't matter where I am, till the wedding I won't get better any way."

Malfoy sighed and approached him, taking off his own black cloak to throw it around Harry's shoulders. "Fine. What do I care," he spoke under his breath.

Harry stood up and fisted the robe in the front so it wouldn't fall off his shoulders. "Hmm," he frowned.

"What?"

"You say one thing, your actions another."

"That's not true," Malfoy denied and avoided Harry's eyes even more but he looked a little bit healthier in the face as he did so.

"And another lie," Harry thought he was slowly getting the hang of speaking Slytherin.

"What are you two mumbling to each other there?" Ron asked suspiciously and they both turned their heads abruptly.

"_Ron_, for heaven's sake let them be," Hermione interrupted loudly before one of them could answer, not that they planned to.

"Why? It's not like they were going to kiss each other good bye," he laughed hysterically and stopped suddenly as Harry felt the heat returning to his head. In Ron's eyes he saw pure horror. "You weren't really going to _k-kiss_, were you? By Merlin's balls! Hermione hold me, I think I'm going to be sick!"

"Ron!" he shouted at the same time as Malfoy shouted, "Weasel- I swear- I'm _this_ far from cursing _your_ balls!"

"Grow _up_, Ron!" Hermione shouted a little flushed.

"Okay, all right, cool down, guys!"

Then she mouthed to them, "I'm really sorry. Not that it's any of Ron's business if that _was_ going to happen...I mean it's normal for couples and you're going to marry after all-"

"Hermione!" he said aghast while Malfoy said, "we aren't a couple!" Strange, he thought they were, kind of.

"I'm sorry, he usually isn't that homophobic," Hermione went on, dragging Ron out by his arm.

"But I am, you would be, too, if your best friend kissed _Malfoy_," Ron protested.

"Don't be childish, Ron! Harry _is_ my best friend, too. Anyway, you guys say your good byes and we'll wait outside. Okay, Harry?" Hermione pulled at Ron till they were both marching to the exit and before Ron lost his temper. She was gone before Harry replied to her in any way.

He was busy palming his face. "I'm sorry about that."

"You Gryffindors are a weird folk. Do you always apology for the atrocious behaviour of someone else?"

"You say a word like 'atrocious' and call _us_ weird?" scoffed Harry.

"What's wrong with 'atrocious'? I like that word, I use it very often," drawled Malfoy.

"Why am I not surprised in the least?"

Malfoy glared at him, then shook his head, deciding to change the topic. "So, we're not allowed to see each other tomorrow."

"I over-heard that," said Harry and observed how Malfoy conjured a quill and some documents and started to fill them in. "Why did you say we weren't a couple earlier? And what are you doing?"

"Because we aren't a _mere_ couple. Mere couples are passé. Engaged and married people are in within pure-blood circles these days. All of my old...friends are already married. And since I'm your wonderful and understanding fiancé and you can't be bothered with such formalities right now, I'm signing the hospital papers, so you can leave." If it wasn't Malfoy saying that, it would have sounded enthusiastic. But it really didn't.

"_You_ are signing my papers? Is that even legal?" Harry wondered why Malfoy would do that if he could do it by himself and whether he would misuse this new right of his.

"We're as good as married so, it is." Malfoy was waving his hand between themselves but still studying the papers. "Don't worry. I won't sign anything else for you sneakily."

Harry felt bad that Malfoy's guess was correct. "I'm not."

"But your worry would be justified, it's something a Slytherin like me would have done earlier, not now. I guess we both have some trust issues to overcome."

"Why not now?" Why was Malfoy telling him this? The surprises of the day just weren't stopping. His head was hurting when he thought any more about it, so he stopped thinking too much altogether and just continued eyeing Malfoy who was giving his quill a last elegant swing.

"Because now you are family."

Family. Something he always wanted to have and failed to get. The word got him deeply rooted to his spot, that and the stunning grey eyes that were abruptly piercing into his soul.

"I'm done here. Bye, Potter," Malfoy said at last and went out.

"Bye," Harry returned, still a little dazed, and buried himself in the bed once more because his voice had hitched up a notch and he had sounded like a shy girl.

The feeling was familiar to him, he had already been there, in that cycle of embarrassing himself and becoming shy. He had been there when he fell for Cho, he had been there when he asked the girls to the Yule Ball in his fourth year at Hogwarts and he had been there when he fell for Ginny. So practically, he'd been there for every person he ever fancied. That could only mean one thing, Harry concluded. He was really falling for Malfoy.

"Hey Weasel, want to know where exactly Potter got kissed?" Malfoy lied outside. "You'll know it when you see his blue lips, the kiss was a bit tough and bruising. Two men working it out, what can I say." Judging by the overly loud smooching noises, Malfoy was probably giving one of his famous impersonations and maybe he was too good an actor because Harry thought he heard Ron faint in the corridor. He didn't feel any better than that as the blood rushed from his head and left him pale.

_I'm dead. How can I fall for _him_?_

* * *

Apparition alongside Ron was nothing like he promised it would be. The crack was still ringing in his ears as he felt the very strong pull behind his navel. But, he had to admit, he felt safe with Ron holding him, just like the times Hagrid had held him, only a lot softer, meaning he didn't feel his ribs breaking. To top it off, Ron apparated him directly to the bedroom and immediately helped him to get on the bed where he dropped with a thud.

"Thanks, mate."

"No thing. Just don't fall asleep, I'm going to get you something to eat. Hermione," he called for the girl who landed not a second later next to him.

"Yes?"

"Let's go."

"Any special wishes for your drink, Harry?" she asked.

"Hot cocoa will do."

"Hmm, I'll get you another blanket, too. You're freezing again. I hope this mess will end once you're married," she noted and rubbed his arm before she left through the door, following Ron.

Since the war she had been a lot touchier and constantly worrying about them. Everyone was more sensitive than usual but Hermione was a special case, as if she was channelling some of Mrs. Weasley's spirits. Harry thought as long as Hermione could feel them, she knew they wouldn't disappear or turn into nothingness. He guessed she just missed her parents very badly, they were still in Australia and had no idea they had a daughter. He felt guilty about that, he knew it was his fault, not that he didn't think the whole war was somewhat his fault. He felt guilty about keeping her that long by his side, too. The war was as good as over and yet, he let her stay by his side instead of sending her away to get her parents back.

So he decided and he was determined about it; he would send her, right after the wedding.

Someone was knocking at the door, it was too early to be Ron and Hermione. "Come in?"

"Hi Harry," a shy girl squeaked and came in, her hair standing on end and her arms clutching a bird's cage.

"Ginny." The lovely Ginny, once he was proud to call her his girl.

"I- I just came to bring you your thunder-bird. She's a little stressed as you can see," she laughed a little but the laugh died on her lips as their eyes met.

"I'm sorry about that," he said and pointed at her head. He stood up with difficulty and reflexively smoothed down her shining red hair, not thinking about the action. She was another person he would always be sorry to. He was sorry the bird had electrified her, he was sorry it didn't work out between them, he was sorry she fell in love with him and now he was really sorry he didn't invite Dean Thomas to the wedding because of her. With Dean she would have at least one person she could be interested in and could hang out with, maybe it would be even good for her if they got together again, Dean would distract her from himself. "I'm sorry about everything, Ginny."

Her big brown eyes were shining with tears when she said, "I'm not."

He was speechless for a moment. He took the cage with the blue-white bird in it and set it down next to his temporary bed.

"Earlier, in the hospital," Ginny spoke with hesitation into the silence.

"Yes?"

"Did you really kiss Malfoy?" She must have been there when Malfoy was boasting.

Her eyes were still shining when he turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, what? You can't ask me- no," he still answered and saw the masked relief as a fleeting emotion pass her face. "I'm going to marry him, you know..." It wasn't like he had to answer her anything every time he was going to get intimate with Malfoy.

"I know," her voice broke and the tears finally overflowed to form two rivers down her cheeks.

"Ginny, please don't do this to yourself," he gasped, not daring to come any closer to her now, yet barely resisting to take her into his arms. "Please, try to forget me."

She smiled strangely, "that's easier said than done." Then she wiped her tears away, wetting her little frail fingers instead. "But you're right, I know. I want you to live, of course. You are my hero, after all."

"Ginny, don't, please. I'm just a stupid and weak wizard. You deserve so much better than me."

"No, _you_ don't. No matter what you say, you will always be my hero."

"Ginny..." he sighed. "You're free to go and see people, enjoy your life. Once you start dating again you will have forgotten me before you know it. How about inviting someone you like to the wedding?"

"If that makes you happy, Harry, maybe I will."

"By all means, please feel free. Don't care about my but your own happiness."

"I'll try," she smiled strangely again before she went towards the door. Only when she had left did he get the idea maybe it was her fake smile.

"Poor Ginny."

His new bird screeched to that.

Harry sagged onto the bed behind him powerlessly and rubbed his eyes. He had already broken up with Ginny once, after sixth year right before he went searching for the Horcruxes. The second time he broke up with her was after he decided to marry Malfoy when he found out he was sick because his magical core had been linked to Malfoy's wand. However, this meeting felt like the final and real break-up. He just hoped no new drama would be provoked to happen. If he was lucky, this was the last time he spoke to Ginny before the wedding, begging her to let him go without any huge resistance by her, without her putting up a small fight, or a big one. He was still somewhat dreading that, dreading being the victim of her famous Hexes, she was a Witch after all and a good one at that. The worst thing was he wouldn't even dare to fight back if she decided to cast the Bat Boogey Hex upon him.

When Ron and Hermione were shaking him while saying 'food' repeatedly, he realized he had almost fallen asleep again. He was so tired, still he forced himself to the meal and he was glad he did because the portion he ate made him feel that little bit better.

In the end he fell asleep with his spoon still in hand, Hermione had to charm the food away so his head wouldn't fall into his plate and Ron had to help him get under the covers of the bed before he got too cold once again.

Somehow, he had a little inkling to how and why, he was staring into the eyes of Draco Malfoy when he woke up the next morning. Malfoy's eyes had a silver glow in that morning, they reminded him of two Pensieves, silver pools drowning you into the very depths of memories and thoughts. Maybe somewhere in there was the answer to how he had gotten to that place, maybe he just had to stare long enough into those memory and thought-pools.

* * *

It was three o'clock in the morning when, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, Potter appeared next to him on the bed, just like in the previous night. The difference to the previous night was, Potter was sleeping this time, he didn't even realize he moved places. It was that stupid white glowing ring on Potter's finger that brought him here and gave Draco another near-heart-attack.

"Morgana and Merlin! I hoped you'd stop trying to kill me in my sleep!"

"..."

"Potter?"

"..." He gave the body a strong shove and turned him onto the back, he received a groan.

"Are you all right? You're not going to retch on my pillows, are you?" He asked as he hovered above the body in the darkness. He received another, louder groan. "Hey, _Harry,_" he asked softly this time, caressing Potter's sides and feeling him jitter under his fingers. He put his blanket above Potter, too who immediately snuggled closer to him, cold arms hugging him around the waist, a cold body aligning to his, cold feet rubbing against his own, a cold face pressing into his collarbone, and seeking warmth.

He was dumbstruck for all over a minute before he relaxed in that vice-like grip. "Shhh, everything's all right. I'm here. You're going to be fine. I'll warm you up." He babbled to the freezing body. He knew he was starting to say sweet nothings which disgusted him if he thought about it and he knew the shaking body of his fiancé wasn't even listening. _The better, he'd think I'm a Hufflepuff._

All the same, the worst thing was the cold, even breathing that fanned against his neck and distracted him from any form of further sleep. It left behind a multivalent sensation, it tickled badly which made him angry, its presents was comforting which made him happy, its intimacy was sensually arousing which made him horny. That hadn't happened before, he never felt like this with a guy and he didn't know what to do about it since Potter didn't look like he was going to wake up any time soon.

With excitement and frustration running high in his blood he lay there awake for hours till the morning broke in. Potter in his arms moved in his sleep only once or twice and he shifted with him to a more bearable position. The last thing he needed was his morning wood poking Potter awake.

It was about eight o'clock when Potter woke up on his own. Draco was still trying to fall asleep and gazing at his face, analysing a dark strand of hair that covered the scar, when Potter's lids fluttered open, revealing two glinting, bright green jades. The colour never looked more impressive to Draco than in that moment when the first rays of sunlight shone in from the only Gothic window in the room and left a playful reflection in the orbs. He was tired to the bones but in the end he was glad he stayed awake to witness that blink of Potter's eyes. Oh, what all the Witches would give to be in his place right now.

Potter was confused and disoriented; he was rapidly moving his eyes all around. He found his way back to Draco's eyes though, where his gaze stayed for a while without either of them speaking.

Then Draco yawned deeply and stretched his left hand out to cover his mouth, he didn't want Potter smelling his morning breath. What he didn't pay attention to, but Potter did, was the engagement ring on his finger glowing red. Potter brushed his own fingers over the ring and Draco remembered what it could do.

He snapped Potter's hand away, not too hard, pushed the disturbing stray strand of black hair away from Potter's forehead, and drawled, "go back to the Burrow, Potter." His hair was smoother than one would expect, it only needed the appropriate attendance. Unfortunately, Potter was the type who didn't value his outward appearance.

As soon as the words were spoken Potter was gone, leaving behind a bunch under the blanket and his scent all over it and on Draco. It smelt like nothing he was used to or knew from Pansy. It was a little bit of a raw and a little bit of a soft odour, something piercing masculine he wanted to bite and something cushy sweet he wanted to nuzzle. It wasn't bad, he admitted. With Potter in his arms and the scent right under his nose he had been a little intoxicated by it but now that Potter was gone, it was weaker in the air and only concentrated on certain spots like the pillow Potter's head had been lying on.

Draco fell asleep sniffing that pillow.

To his bad luck, his mother woke him up not long after.

* * *

For the second night in a row did the wards in the Manor register an intruder. A quickly cast _Homenum Revelio_ let Narcissa Malfoy know it was Harry Potter in Draco's room, so nothing to worry but to chuckle about. She planned to surprise the two with a visit in the morning just like in the previous day, for now she was too sleepy.

As soon as it was nine however, she was knocking at Draco's door. After a few tries Draco let her in, they even had a nice chat but Potter was gone.

The old question returned. _So, how did he send him back?_

* * *

What had just happened? He had been looking at Malfoy, they had been in a silent agreement not to talk and he had _enjoyed_ it. It was crazy. Then Malfoy had yawned, he had obviously been tired judging by the dark circles under his eyes and Harry felt bad because he guessed it was his fault. He hadn't even felt anything when the Port-key-ring had been activated and he guessed he had given Malfoy quite a shock in the early morning while he had been tightly sleeping. Malfoy probably hadn't fallen asleep after that. While Malfoy had been covering his face with his hand he had noticed the red glowing ring on his thin finger and touched it, fascinated. Malfoy had snapped his hand away as they both remembered the ring could send him back. Suddenly Malfoy had carefully brushed his hair from his forehead, he had been staring at it for a long time in distaste before he did it and he looked satisfied with his action. Harry was relieved because he had thought Malfoy had been looking that hatefully at his scar which he actually hadn't. The almost 'loving' caress was a big contrast to the curse-names Malfoy used to call him by or the fist punches and Hexes he usually threw Harry's way. They had really improved their relationship and been nicer to each other in the short time they were engaged. He had wanted to see more of that satisfied expression but Malfoy had sent him back to the Burrow without saying anything else.

Ignoring that for a while, there was still one issue unclear to him, _why_ hadn't he felt anything when the ring was activated and _why _had it been activated at all?

_Oh-oh..._

Had he been _dreaming_ about Malfoy and moved in his sleep? He couldn't remember anything, it was all vivid. But hadn't there been an image of a blond in the recesses of his mind? All cosy and warm?

"Great," he moaned and buried his head into the pillow of his bed at the Burrow, an action he was doing a lot lately.

Because now his subconsciousness was desiring Malfoy, too.

He restlessly turned around in the bed for another half an hour when he heard two pairs of feet climbing up the stairs.

"I swear, Hermione, I've searched for him everywhere! As soon as I woke up I noticed he wasn't there. He's gone, like poof! I've even been to the garden twice! Don't you think it's about time to ring the alarm," he heard Ron say and that really worried him.

_Oh-oh,_ he thought again. _What am I going to tell them? _He was desperately trying to think of a believable fib.

"Wait, Ron," Hermione said and he heard the feet come to a standstill. "Did you check all the bathrooms?"

"Of course I checked the bathrooms," came the fast reply. Then Harry heard his chance as Ron got unsure. "Um... well, I think I did."

Hermione sighed and they walked on to come into view at the door. "Harry!" She screamed happily.

"Harry! Where _were_ you, mate?" said Ron, relieved.

"Er...hi guys," he replied, smiling. "I was just in the bathroom and came back to bed." He tried not to look into their eyes when he told the fib.

"Really?" Ron asked suspiciously. "I thought I've been to all the places and I've been searching for you the whole morning."

"Er...yeah. Did you check the bathroom downstairs? I was there."

"What where you doing in the bathroom downstairs?"

Harry tried to control his pulse. "Taking a shower?" No, his voice was not shaking.

"Funny, you still have bed-hair and why would you change back into the hospital-pyjamas?"

"Ron! That's not nice of you to mention!" Hermione chastised him. "You know exactly how messy Harry's hair can be even after a Drying Charm!"

"Well, thank you, Hermione," Harry said shortly, although he found her reaction funny.

"I'm sorry," she said and blushed. "Oh, for heaven's sake, you know I'm right!"

"Right, yeah," he grinned. "But I did dry it and the pyjamas are just comfortable," he explained to Ron who still didn't look convinced.

"Oh, Ronald, what is this, an inquiry? Anyway," Hermione sighed again and stood on her toes to cup Ron's cheeks. "Bless you. You know I love you, right?" Ron turned scarlet at that and even Harry felt a little embarrassed to witness what was going on. Ron nodded at her. "Good. Because sometimes you're just not that bright. You obviously forgot to check that room. You know how you are, you forget things here, things there..."

"When? When do I forget things?" Ron protested.

Hermione shut him up with a kiss instead of answering. She didn't want to say it, and Harry was not comfortable in telling it Ron either, that Ron had forgotten their one month's anniversary. And their second, third and forth. She didn't think it was that important. She had told Harry she had just been glad that they still were together. They had never been together or in each other's presence that long without one fight at least. Hermione had actually confessed to Harry then that she was going to take the initiative soon and ask him to marry her.

The kiss was still progressing and Harry felt the need to cough to interrupt them and say, _hey, I'm still here, you know? _But instead he thought how different this kissing was in comparison to Ron kissing Lavender Brown. It didn't look like him eating his female counterpart's face anymore, he'd improved in that aspect. It actually looked very sweet, it didn't lack of love here. Harry even felt a little jealous, it was the kind of way everyone wanted to be kissed by their loved ones.

Did he look like that when he kissed Ginny? Would he look like that when-

He couldn't help it, he had to think about Malfoy. How would it feel like to kiss him? He remembered he would have to kiss him at the wedding ceremony tomorrow. _Oh Merlin..._

WHAM!

The kissing stopped.

"Um, where did Harry just go?"

* * *

He found himself back in Malfoy's room. This time, however, inside his bathroom and this could only mean one thing, that Malfoy was in there, too. _Oh Merlin_,_ please, oh God_, screamed his mind.

Panicked, he held his hands before his eyes, in case he might see something he didn't particularly want to. Like Malfoy sitting on the toilet. Or Malfoy in the shower. Hmm, on the second thought, maybe...

OH MERLIN, NO!

He didn't hear the sound of water rushing though.

Harry peeped just a tiny bit through the spaces of his fingers to check whether it was save. He immediately spotted Malfoy standing in front of the sink, looking at the mirror above it and luckily he seemed already dressed. He was watching himself vainly and running his fingers through some wet and blond locks when their eyes met in the reflection. Harry closed his on reflex, acting as if that made him invisible. He surely wished he had the cloak that could do that right now.

"Potter," sounded the unmistakable voice. "Do I even want to know what the hell you are doing in my bathroom?"

"It's complicated. So, no, you don't."

"Did you just _peep_ through your fingers?"

"Er..."

"You peeping Tom!"

Harry chuckled because his panicked mind was providing him with a _very_ bad joke about 'Tom, Dick and Harry'. _Don't even go there, _he told himself in a Zen-moment of practising inner calmness.

"Oh, this is utterly ridiculous," he heard Malfoy complain highly and listened to the approaching steps. Then his fingers were removed from his face, he pulled his hands away and hid them behind his back, the touch had burned his cold fingers. "Don't worry, I was about to leave this place anyway," he said and Harry saw him for the second time that day. He was really neat and clean, hair almost perfectly done, though lacking the usual amounts of hair-gel, and clothes smelling nice, a black business robe coating the typical aristocratic Malfoy-attire. "But why are you still dressed in those atrocious hospital clothes?"

Harry felt ashamed till he noticed how to strike right back. "Merlin, you were right. You really like that word, don't you?"

Malfoy coughed, red spots appeared on that pale face when he said, "I told you I did. Don't mock me about it."

He was met with Harry's smile.

"Oh, what the hell! Go back to the Burrow!"

He felt the pull behind his navel before he could respond and he was still smiling when he arrived to the ordered place.

This time he reappeared in the bathroom downstairs, to the irony of it all. Maybe because he was in a bathroom prior to that, or Malfoy was just thinking 'bathroom' when he sent him back. He got out and went to the kitchen for breakfast since he needed a second alibi. He had to hurry up before Ron and Hermione came looking for him anew. Luckily, he was right on time, sitting at the table with toast in hand when his two friends came down the stairs.

"Where were you _now_?" asked Ron, his arms doing a wide gesture in the air.

Harry waved his hand with the toast in response. "Er...I can't be eating breakfast here, can I?"

"We didn't notice you leaving the room at all."

"You were pretty busy."

"Oh, I guess so," grinned Ron and blushed, Hermione, too, though she was awkwardly quiet. Maybe suspicious?

She was staring at him and he avoided her eyes, trying to stay cool, even though his heart was racing and he was gripping the toast too hard so its pattern was pressed into his hand. If he made one tiny mistake now, Hermione would see through his façade, she wasn't one to fall easily for his fibs. He swallowed down a big sigh when she shrugged as if nothing was wrong and sat next to Ron who already loaded his plate with scrambled eggs, beans and toast.

They were eating in silence for a moment and Harry was glad seeing Mrs. Weasley going back and forth in the kitchen with a list in her hand, checking the points.

"I have sent out the invitation cards earlier this morning, Harry. There was no problem or matches with Mrs. Malfoy's list, she gave her okay already," she informed him and Harry smiled at her. Yes, he hardly believed there would be matches with Mrs. Malfoy's list, why would she invite Gryffindors after all, not that he planned to invite any Slytherins either.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. Are you sure you're fine, to do this? I don't want to over-work you," he said in reference to her latest hospital visit.

"Oh, of course I'm fine, dear, I am as good as new. this is hardly work for me, it's a pleasure," she said smiling and waved the matter off with her hand to continue checking the points on her list. Harry saw her mouthing 'invitation cards, check'.

"By the way, I saved one card for you, Harry. This is what it looks like," she handed him a creamy white card with golden ink and silver decorative lines on its sites.

"_You are cordially invited to the Bonding Ceremony of_

_Draco Abraxas Malfoy & Harry James Potter"_

He read the first sentence, the rest were formalities, information of time and location.

"You can keep it for later times, to reminisce the event. It's a little Weasley tradition, to be honest. My mother saved one of my own wedding invitation cards for me and I saved one for Bill and Fleur. Well, and this...is yours."

She was getting emotional again, but Harry didn't have the heart to not let her have that moment. He felt grateful she treated him like a son, so he stood up and hugged her once, tightly. "Thank you so much."

She chuckled and hugged him as tightly back before letting go and continuing with her check-list. Harry knew she rather would do all of this for Harry's and _Ginny's_ wedding, so he felt all the more grateful she tried to be happy for him. The tiny sob rumbling through her chest, though didn't go unnoticed.

"Hey mom, where's my card?" Ron interrupted, between mouth-loads of beans.

"You don't get any, of course," she rolled her eyes and went to the window to let two owls in.

"What? Does that mean I'm not even invited?"

"You and Hermione hardly need a card to let you know you're invited, son."

"She's right, Ron. Ew, your lips are full of grease. Here, let me help you," Hermione said, slightly disgusted and wiping him off with a napkin.

"Yeah, mate. Don't be ridiculous. You two are my best friends, without you I'm not even going to marry. And you'll be my best man, of course. Right?"

Ron laughed. "Stop that, 'Mione. Yeah. Was just kidding. Hold your breath."

Harry sighed, deeper this time. Just for a second he thought there Ron was a little mad. He wasn't even going to think of a marriage without him and Hermione. "Don't do that again!"

Ron laughed once more. "What's that, mom?"

"Harry, dear. The letter is for you. And you should see this," she was handing him the letter and a copy of the Daily Prophet.

He opened the letter first, it was from Shacklebolt. He held it in the centre of the table so Ron and Hermione could read it with him.

_Dear Harry,_

_This morning I released the ministry's statement about the upcoming truce and the hopeful end of the war to the press. Giving away information about the wedding was inevitable but you knew that beforehand. Don't worry, I didn't publicize crucial details about time and location, your safety is most important. Nonetheless, you should read the Prophet that is sent to you with this letter. I hope you won't get too many howlers as a reaction to the article. The first one should arrive in about three minutes after this letter has reached you._

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Minister of Magic, Head of Auror Department_

"By Merlin's effin' left ball!" Ron yelled and let his toast drop. He was looking out of the window after he finished reading the letter upside down. Hermione was already studying the Prophet word for word, her eyes flying from left to right and back again. She looked stressed and that was never a good sign.

"Ronald Weasley, I forbid you to talk like that in my house!"

"Sorry, mom," he said, "but heaven's sake! Look at the window, do you see that dark cloud? It's flying directly at us!"

"Oh dear," she gasped and spelled the window close.

Harry looked worriedly at Hermione. His stomach was turning the little breakfast he just had. "Is it that bad?"

Hermione hummed. "Oh, Draco will not like this. Hmm, it depends. Nah, not _that_ bad. Nothing we didn't already know would happen. Shacklebolt really did some damage control right there. You should write him a 'thank you' message. Be glad it wasn't written by Reeter Skeeter, it could have been worse."

She handed him the Prophet and he took it over the table, dreading what was written in it. It was on the front page with big letters, what else.

_BOY WHO DEFEATED VOLDEMORT MARRIES DEATH EATER FOR WAR-TRUCE_

"Oh god," he moaned. "Not that bad? Malfoy won't like this? He will _hate_ it! Even I don't like it! And what the hell is wrong with everyone calling him Voldemort _now_? Suddenly it's not You-Know-Who anymore, now that he's dead it's as if they never called him by anything else but his name!" Hermione sent him an apologetic glance before he continued to read.

"You know how they are since the taboo was broken, it's better than fearing the name."

_As of eight o'clock this morning, the Minister for Magic himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt, informed our wizarding world that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived-and-Lived, is going to marry his school nemesis Draco Malfoy, Death Eater and son of convicted Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, for an upcoming War-Truce. Yes, you read it right, Wizards and Witches of our nation, our Hero is going to sacrifice himself yet again to end this War we're currently in! "This truce will be signed by both leaders of the Light and the Dark Side, Harry and Draco, to ensure the End of War," says the Minister. "That means, no more battles, rebellions and, most important of all, submission to ministry-law by the Dark Side. In valuable consideration and return we have set up certain terms and clauses in favour of the Dark Side. Every Witch or Wizard who protests this truce will be sought-after by both sides and arrested by ministry Aurors. Therefore **I appeal to the Death Eaters to surrender this instant.**" (continues on page 2)_

Harry turned the page and saw that the next pages were all dedicated to him, the fury in him began to rise slowly. He quickly read on.

_Following is a list of the terms the Minister revealed to us:_

_-Trials for every soul, so the innocent can be claimed as innocent_

_-Closer observation at and restoration of Azkaban_

_To this term the Minister added, "No convict will die in Azkaban due to an unhealthy environment. Furthermore, the rearranged Wizengamot had a vote and with 70 to 30 percent the Dementor's Kiss was abolished as the highest punishment. In fact, **Dementors are now officially considered as Wizard's and Witch's enemies**, anyone who wishes to defeat these creatures is allowed to do so. Don't forget though, how dangerous they are, **I call on you to learn and teach the Patronus Charm**. It will be a permanent subject in Hogwarts' fifth year curriculum from now on."_

_-N__o confiscation of any pure-blood-family property or Gringott-vaults when proven there is no hidden Dark object _

_The Minister said the Goblins will bear witness over which vaults were filled before the War and which only during, to exclude the Wizards who had illegal income. He said as well, that Harry Potter himself, Auror in training, will be head of these searchings._

_-Approval for none-Death Eaters in pure-blood families to leave the land_

"_We are no dictating Ministry to force innocent people into staying, even if there is the slightest chance of them being former Death Eaters or Dark Lord Supporters. In dubio pro reo," said the Minister._

_-A chance for every Death Eater who had their punishments to restart their lives_

"_We made a plan to reintegrate these ex-convicts into society with the allowance to restart working. But only when the punishment isn't a life-long sentence in Azkaban," explained the Minister._

_-Access to St. Mungo's for every wounded who is included in the truce_

"_I want to add that Draco and Harry agreed for the marriage to be eternal and by divorcing they will break the truce. The truce, however, will be intact even many years after the two die."_

_The following are questions by our reporters the Minister answered:_

"_Minister, surely we could win this war without this bonding, why the truce?"_

"_The truce was, in fact, Harry's idea. And I think I speak for a lot of Witches and Wizards when I say how many more innocent lives are we going to risk? How many more rebellions and battles are we going to fight? Why not end it now while we can?"_

"_So Harry Potter was not forced into this?"_

"_No, he and Draco saw how beneficial the truce will be for both sides."_

"_Why a Wizard? Why a Death Eater like Draco Malfoy, his school-nemesis of all people and why not a Witch from the Dark Side?"_

"_First of all, Draco Malfoy regrets letting himself get marked as a Death Eater deeply and his innocence will yet be proven in a fair Ministry trial. Lastly, Harry insisted on Draco Malfoy and I think it's a wise choice, seeing how he is considered as the leader of the Dark Side with Voldemort's fall and his father's imprisonment, and many Death Eaters will follow his lead. **Hopefully, many Witches and Wizards will follow this peaceful Bonding by these brave young men.**"_

_Furthermore, the minister refused to comment on where and when the wedding will be held to ensure the security of the participants. As far as we know, it could have already taken place. What do you think, our lovely readers? Do you think the Minister is telling us the truth and Harry Potter was not forced into this or do you think there is some deeper meaning behind this unusual bonding? Were Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter really school-rivals, as the rumours say, or was there always a connection nobody knew about? Of one aspect I'm sure, our War-Hero knows how to break thousands of hearts across the wizarding world._

_Rolf Werewolf_

_(More articles on Harry Potter on the pages 3-14)_

Harry took a closer look of page three, there were moving photographs above a page-long article. The first one was of Draco and him in the ring shop, looking at each other promisingly, the old witch who sold the rings must have taken it secretly, that stupid old woman! The second one was of them in the Menagerie looking at the birds, that sneaky bird-seller! He read the title above the pictures:

_The secret date of Draco and Harry at Diagon Alley_

He turned to page four, dreading another scandalous title. He was not disappointed.

_The Death Eater and the Boy-Who-Lived-and-Lived – a tragic love story with happy end?_

Page Five

_Secret marriage, when, where and why?_

Page Six

_New celebrity Couple Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter sighted at St. Mungo's – is the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice sick?_

The more he turned the pages, the more his guts turned. "I feel like puking," he said and Hermione immediately conjured a bucket at his feet while Ron gave his back two strokes. He turned to page one again and looked at the bottom of the article.

"Rolf Werewolf? Who the hell is Rolf Werewolf?"

Hermione took a sip of tea before she answered. "He is a reporter who previously worked for the Quibbler."

"How do you know that?" asked Ron from the window. "Why does she always know everything, Harry?"

"No wonder he worked for the Quibbler, he is insane!" said Harry, still enraged by the article.

"He's friends with Luna, she talked once or twice about him," Hermione rolled her eyes at them.

"Wow, is he really a werewolf?"

"No, of course not, Ron. The daily prophet would hardly let him work for them if he were."

"What is he speculating with 'was there always a connection nobody knew about'? That Malfoy and I had a secret affair instead of secret duels? Pah!"

"Like you said, Harry. It's just speculation, the wizarding world is curious about your personal life and decisions. They'll always question your choices and it's not like we didn't expect this with Draco Malfoy as your fiancé. You two hated each other for the longest time, it's only natural they come up with ideas. Just be glad Shacklebolt didn't once mention that you are sick and need to kill or marry him. And not one article about the Death Eater-attack."

"Hmm," he contemplated what she said. "But there's an article about us being seen in St. Mungo's, they're already guessing I'm sick!"

"They still don't know if it's true though," said Ron. "The Healer's aren't allowed to talk about their patients and stuff."

His mind was racing, "I must thank Shacklebolt for that, and I feel so sorry for Malfoy. This whole thing is outrageous! I... I have to talk to- I have to see him, right now," he said, panicked. He feared Malfoy's reaction. After all, Malfoy could blame him for the article and still blow the whole thing off.

As soon as he stood up though, the ground under his feet was shaking. He fell forward and stabilized himself by holding the table. "What is going on?" he yelled and saw Ron holding his mother just in time while Hermione ducked under the table. The whole kitchen-equipment was shaking and some glasses fell to the ground, crashing noisily. He heard Ginny and George screaming down from the stairs before Ron yelled.

"IT'S THE CHIMNEY! HARRY, DUCK!"

Then Harry remembered Kingsley's letter, the first howlers would arrive in three minutes he had written, meaning as of now, in fact some minutes too late and Harry suddenly knew why Mrs. Weasley was so quiet the past moment, she had been busy trying to prevent the storm. And Harry was standing right in front of the kitchen table while his back was hiding the fireplace, which was the only way the letters could get in since Mrs. Weasley spelled the windows close. It exploded right when he pulled Hermione away from under the table and escaped with her sideways, some letters still hitting his head. "OW!"

"_Protego!_" yelled Hermione, quick to pull out her wand and guarding Harry's back from any further damage.

He saw how Ron and Mrs. Weasley make their way out of the chaos in the kitchen to join them in their corner by waving their wands when a row of red envelops exploded and hundreds of strange voices filled the kitchen, howling all at once.

"YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD-"

"HOW CAN YOU MARRY A DEATH EATER-"

"I WILL KILL YOU-"

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MARRY _ME_!"

"AND THE BLOOD-TRAITOR TOO!"

"I LOVE YOU HARRY! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DISGRACE TO THE POTTERS!"

"YOUR PARENTS WILL TURN OVER IN THEIR GRAVES!"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN THE MUGGLE WORLD!"

"I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME, HARRY, _ME_! I COULD HAVE STOOD GINNY BUT _DRACO_? NO!"

Ron and George, who apparently thought the whole thing was a big joke, were trying to guess the voices. "Hey I think I know this one," said Ron with a grin. "Isn't that Romilda?"

"Vane? Don't you think it has more of Cho in it?" George said with a serious expression which was only worse.

"No, that's definitely Romilda Vane," said Hermione suddenly.

"Hermione!" said Harry aghast. "I'm getting here death-threads and curses for another life-time while you play who's Howler is who's?"

"Sorry," she grinned, matching Ron's. "Not like you're not used to death-threads and all."

"Yeah, not with a life-time of You-Know-Poo's on your back," added George.

"HEY HARRY! AW, I'M SORRY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT WITH GINNY! JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I GOT THE INVITATION AND I'M TERRIBLY EXCITED AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEDDING! I'M SUPPORTING YOU!"

"Definitely Luna," four voices said in unison. Ginny suddenly ran back up the stairs and George ran after her, probably to comfort her. Harry looked away.

"Why the hell is she sending a Howler to say this?"

"No idea, she's crazy."

"Fine! You guys have your fun, go on! I leave it to you to sort between the 'I'm gonna kill you', the 'I was supposed to marry you' and the rest of the letters while I go upstairs, changing and writing some letters of my own!"

"All right," said Ron and shrugged as if he took Harry seriously or just didn't care. Mrs. Weasley joined him by taking out an old broom and started to sweep the floor, making a huge mountain out of all the letters that weren't going to explode like the Howlers.

"Don't forget to write back to Shacklebolt!" said Hermione before she joined Ron and examined some letters of her own.

Harry shook his head at them and held out his hand, a sign for the two Ministry owls to join him. He stomped up the stairs and threw the bedroom-door close behind him, giving his temper some free rein. One of the owls bit him for that. "Ouch, I'm sorry!"

He quickly searched for a quill and parchment and wrote a hasty reply for the minister.

_Thank you for everything. I know you did your best. Your warning came just in time for the explosion. Just wanted to let you know that Draco and I were rudely thrown out of Madam Malkin's robe shop yesterday just because she didn't agree to our coupling. Is she even allowed to do that? _

_Constant vigilance._

_Harry_

He checked the window just to make sure that no other owl would fly in with another Howler, then he opened it and let the two owls out. "Safe trip," he wished them. "Even though you hurt me!"

All he had to do now was to check upon Malfoy- Draco- Malfoy, whatever. His mind didn't even care anymore what to call him. So he took a pair of fresh clothes and went into the bathroom upstairs to really take a shower, a quick one, before visiting him. He didn't want to be called something like atrocious again.

The drying charm messed up his hair beyond further taming, just like he thought. One last glance at the mirror let him know how sick he really looked. Still so pale, still dark circles under his eyes and his cheek-bones were still jutting out. His lips were blue again but there was nothing he could do to change it. At least his eyes didn't seem to lose their green glow anymore. "Hopeless," he told his reflection.

"Up to Malfoy Manor then, I guess." He held the ring to his heart and wished to be by Draco's side.

WHAM!

* * *

Draco was burning. He was burning with hate for whoever wrote the articles and for whoever would hate him after reading them and he was burning with hate for Harry- no, Potter. "Potter," he hissed. At least, this was familiar hate, he could do something about this one, but he had no idea how to take revenge on the million other people.

He was sitting at his desk after he had finished breakfast and was signing his share of invitation cards his mother had handed him earlier, he was busy with a particular nasty card addressed to Gregory Goyle, when the Prophet and a letter from Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived.

_Greg, I don't care that Vince and you tried to kill us all with the fiendfyre, may he R.I.P, and I don't care that you didn't invite me to your own wedding with Astoria! I don't even care if you hate me, but fuck, you're my only friend and you have to come to my bloody wedding because I don't have anyone else. Oh, and you will be my best man of course. For good old times: This is an order._

_Sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy_

"Letter for you, master," squeaked his house-elf called Beddoom. She dropped the Prophet and the letter onto his desk with a snip of his fingers while he handed her the invitation cards.

"Beddoom, I want you to hand these out personally. They are the wedding invitations and the addresses are on the back, understand?"

"Yes, master!"

"You better understand."

A crack in the air followed that; the house-elf disappeared and he was left to read the letter and the Prophet with hate growing and burning in his chest. Shacklebolt had not lost one word about how Potter was dependent on _him _and not the other way around, how Potter would die without him, had he not agreed to the wedding. He was the war-hero's hero, _he_ was the actual hero! Not vice versa! The reporter was speaking of sacrifice in the article, ha! Well, wasn't he making the greatest sacrifice by not having perfect, little pure-blood children his parents always wished for him to have, like he himself wished to have! Or the perfect, petite pure-blood wife! Or the pure-blood life-style! He was giving up _everything _and for what? For a stupid war-truce? Heck, no! For Potter, of all the bloody people! _Potter_, he hated him!

_But..._

Was it Potter's fault? No, and he knew it. It wasn't Potter who wrote the articles and it wasn't Potter who spoke those words. Still, he was furious.

He turned his head to a silent crack in the air and expected Beddoom but it was too early for her return.

It was Potter, the devil himself, finally out of those ugly hospital-clothes. He turned his back to him. "Potter, as much as the frequency of your visits flatters me, I don't want to see you right now."

"You read the article, huh?"

"Yes, and I hate you, so go back to the Burrow."

"But-" WHAM!

Not a minute later, Potter had the audacity to reappear. "Why do you hate me?" he asked miserably.

"I hate you because-" he stopped mid-sentence when they both heard explosions from outside the Manor, it sounded like fireworks and they both ran to the Gothic window in Malfoy's room to have a look at the sky. It even looked like fireworks exploding as hundreds of owls dropped packages and letters against an invisible barrier around the building. Only some owls made it through the barrier and suddenly hundreds of letters were flying in through the window, it didn't look that different from the letter-storm in the Weasley's kitchen. "This!" Malfoy raised his hands in the air, "this is exactly why I hate you!"

"I'm sorry! It's not even my fault, well, partly anyway! And what's that explosion, why can't they come through? They did at the Burrow and believe me, it looks worse there," said Potter.

"The Malfoy Manor's protecting wards don't let anything in that contains anything harmful towards the owners. Only minor Howlers and normal letters," as soon as Draco finished saying that, the first letters burst open and the first hateful voices filled his bedroom.

"BURN, DEATH EATER!"

"YOUR LORD DIED ALREADY, YOU WILL TOO!"

"HOW DARE YOU SEDUCE HARRY POTTER?"

"Wonderful," said Draco and scoffed, "I guess that's post from your lovely fans."

"Shut up," said Potter without even blushing, that's when Draco noticed that his lips were blue again. Somehow some of his hatred towards Potter melted away at that realization.

He tried not to blame Potter too much for the next Howlers.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AND ROT IN A CELL IN AZKABAN LIKE YOUR FATHER?"

But it was so hard when he heard things like that, he clenched his fists and teeth throughout the next messages.

"FUCKING POOF! WHAT ARE YOU? A MUGGLE SHIRT LIFTER?"

"BLOODTRAITOR!"

"DON'T YOU DARE EVEN TOUCH HARRY, YOU RAPER!"

"WHAT DID YOU USE TO GET IN HIS PANTS? IMPERIUS?"

"HEY MALFOY, ARE YOU TAKING IT IN OR ARE YOU SHOVING IT UP HIS-"

"Outrageous!" screamed Potter.

The disturbing thing was, he even recognized some voices.

"FUCK YOU, DRACO, WHERE IS MY INVITATION? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS?"

Pah! Now, all of a sudden they wanted to be his 'friends' to watch the biggest spectacle in the wizarding world that would ruin his life!

"Well, fuck you right back! Nobody cared to invite me to their wedding, why should I?" he yelled.

Potter shot him a sympathetic smile, and he felt like shit.

His knees buckled and he tried to inhale all the air in the room but it felt like nothing reached his lungs, he fell forward and hyperventilated.

Potter sat down next to him, rubbed his back and repeated the words he had told Potter the night before, the ones he had whispered to him in his sleep. "Shh, everything's all right."

Even though they knew nothing was all right, it didn't matter, and Draco calmed down, his breathing getting into regular pace again.

With teary eyes and shaking fingers Draco turned away from Potter and reached for the normal letters, opening them one by one. He read all the hateful comments and burned every single consigner into his memory, right after he burned the letter itself. Sometimes there where accepting letters, but the fewest were congratulatory messages with the promise to send wedding gifts the next time.

He didn't know when but Potter joined him and quickly adapted his habit of sorting into three stags. Another while later, Potter asked him curiously where his mother was.

"Don't worry, she won't burst in at any time soon, she's at aunt Andromeda's to help decorate the place. She said something about Mrs. Weasley joining her soon."

"Oh, I see." He looked at Potter who tried hard not to look back and he almost smiled again.

"You really don't care about the 'you're not allowed to see each other' thing, right," he said.

Potter shrugged and stared holes through the letter in his pale hands.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Potter looked up for the first time and nodded shyly.

He waved his wand and turned on the temperature in the room.

"Malfoy, I mean – Draco?"

"Yes?"

"You won't blow off the wedding because of this, will you?" Potter looked at the stags of letters and appeared nervous, no anxious. Malfoy couldn't stay mad at him.

"And let you die? No, I guess not."

Potter grinned at the stags of letters, Draco smiled at the sight of that.

"Potter, why did you actually visit me during the night? I thought about it, were you _dreaming_ about me?"

Potter turned paler than he already was and the grin vanished. "No!"

"Hmm, but you were sleeping when you landed right on top of me..."

He gasped, "I did not!"

"How do you know? You were asleep and I tell you you did. But you tell me, was it a..." he rolled his tongue for emphasis, " wet dream?"

"It was-" Potter never said what it was because a crack in the air interrupted their banter.

"Beddoom is sorry, master. Beddoom didn't know master had guest in bedroom, master. Beddoom shall come back later."

"No, wait!" he called out. "It's okay, show me, what do you have there?" He was more curious about the letter Beddoom came back with.

"This is from Sir Goyle, master, said Beddoom shall give this immediately back."

He reached out for it and Beddoom placed it in his hand with a hovering charm. "Before you leave, Beddoom, no one, not even mother, has to hear about my guest here, understand?"

"Yes, master!"

"You better," he ordered and Beddoom left with another crack.

"_Beddoom? _What kind of name is that?" asked Potter.

Draco blushed as he opened the letter from Gregory in his hand. "It's a convenient name I gave her while I was three. I named almost all the house-elves of the Manor after the places they worked in, it's only understandable I couldn't pronounce the places properly at the age of three, so don't you dare laugh at me, Potter!"

"I'm not!" Potter was saying while he coughed, he failed trying to suppress his laughter and Draco shot him a glare. "So that's why Dobby was Dobby? Let me guess, he was named after the lobby?"

Draco's blush turned darker and he felt it burning in his cheeks. "So what?" he said and read Gregory's letter. It was short:

_All right, I'll get you at six for your bachelor's night._

_Greg._

_p.s. I knew it had to be Potter for you. Since, the first day of school there was only ever Potter in your eyes, wasn't there?_

Draco was shocked. Gregory had agreed to come, that was all sorts of shocking in itself, but what the bloody hell was that post scriptum?

He felt a cold presence right behind his back, breathing down his neck. "Stop it, Potter."

What Potter said was surprising, too. "_Bachelor's night?_ You're not seriously going!" So he read the letter sneakily, the first part definitely.

"Why, jealous?" He smirked.

"Pah! You wish!" Potter snorted.

"Fine, then I'm going."

"_Fine_! Then I'm going on my own bachelor's night!"

No, Draco didn't like that. And he didn't care about letting Harry know that.

"No, you're not!"

"I am when you are!"

"Whatever, then go! I don't care! Enjoy your last night of freedom before you get into the fucking bonding, so will I!"

"No, you won't! Don't you even dare bugger someone or let someone touch you!"

"What the- go back to the Burrow, Potter!"

WHAM!

Did Potter just tell him not to have sex with anyone else?

_Oh Merlin._

But why did he find that, kind of, just a little bit, _cute?_

* * *

_A/N: Hi guys, it's been a while! I hope you are satisfied with the length of the chapter as an apology of me not uploading in a long time. Next chapter we've got so many goodies, the bachelor's night, the wedding, the attack and more, more, more!_

_I thank UniquenessInABox, EdwardAnthonyMasonCullenJr, AFLlover, SasuNaru N Itchihitsu, BlackScarredArrow, RRW, FireFly1989, randy13, SunshineAndDaisies, Veneya, Lev-squenk, Paddy Gurl, Daddys little crazy bitch, and Lori94 for the reviews in chapter 5! I love you guys bouncing to my story and being super excited, believe me, I'm as excited! I'll see you all again in chapter 7!_

_/Verdandy_


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